Passion Fruit Leaves Sambola (Raw Passion Fruit Leaves Salad)

This passion fruit leaves sambola is really delicious with a mix of raw, bitter, sour and spicy taste. If you like recipes with edible leaves or simply if you like raw leaves in your meal, try this raw passion fruit leaves salad next time when you find some fresh leaves.(Passion fruit is also known as ‘ Val dodam‘ in Sri Lanka)

Recently my mom came from Sri Lanka and as always, she brought different food varieties from Sri Lanka. Among the things she brought, it was a bunch of passion fruit leaves. It was not a surprise because I know that Passion Fruit kola mallum is a delicious dish to eat as a side with our rice and curry meal. But, I was wrong. My mom wanted to make this raw passion fruit sambolaya with the leaves she brought to Singapore.

Healthy Benefits of Passion Fruit leaves

Passion fruit vine

Usually, sri Lankan cuisine is full of different edible leaves. We eat such leaves as raw salads,(sambola),as mallum and even as stir fry. Benefits of eating green leaves are passed from generation to generation. In such way, below are some of the health benefits of Passion fruit leaves,However please note I am not a healthcare advisor. Please seek advice if you consider health benefits seriously.Otherwise,this raw passion fruit leaves sambolaya is a delicious side to add to your meal.

Passion fruit leaves are rich with antioxidants and minerals that gives many benefits. Even it is with folate. However as per my mom, traditionally Passion Fruit leaves are considered as diabetic friendly with its ability to lower the blood sugar.

So, other than a tasty side,you can eat raw passion fruit leaves sambola as a diabetic friendly recipe. For me, I like edible leaves as raw salads. Therefore this passion fruit leaves salad could arouse my taste buds same as the Thebu kola sambolaya I shared before.(Another Sri Lankan diabetic friendly recipe).Also check kiri aguna kola sambola which we eat raw edible leaves in a delicious recipe.

Is raw Passion Fruit leaves safe to eat?

Raw Passion Fruit Leaves

Well, in Sri Lanka, eating passion fruit leaves as a kola mallum is common. Sometimes, we also eat these leaves mixing with other edible leaves. However in such dishes, we cook leaves for few minutes.

As this recipe suggests eating raw passion fruit leaves in a salad, I was curious on the benefits and safe side of eating passion fruit leaves as raw. I found some concerns about cyanide in raw passion fruit leaves.If you concern such issues,please research further on more information on this.

Recipe: Passion Fruit Leaves Sambola (Raw Passion Fruit Leaves Salad)

Passion Fruit Leaves Sambola

Ingredients (for 2-3 servings)

Handful of  fresh Passion Fruit Leaves

1 cup fresh grated coconut (or as required)

2 green chili sliced

2-3 small red onion/shallots sliced

1 small tomato cut into bite size pieces (optional)

1 tspn of Maldive fish flakes (optional)

Salt to taste

1 tbspn fresh lime juice

Method

Step 1:

Wash and clean raw passion fruit leaves.

Drain water completely.

Slice passion fruit leaves into very thin pieces.

Slice onion and green chili.

Step 2:

In a bowl, mix sliced onion, green chili, coconut and salt together with lime juice.

If you add tomato and Maldive fish flakes, add those too. (Optional and I didn’t use for this recipe)

At this point, check the taste and adjust salt and lime juice as per taste if necessary.

Step 3:

Add sliced fresh and raw passion fruit leaves to the mix.

Mix the leaves gently without squeezing.

A fresh and healthy passion fruit leaves sambola is ready to serve.

Tip:

Mix all ingredients just before serving. Then this raw passion fruit leaves salad/ sambola will tastes fresh.

If you try this recipe, please leave me a comment. I’d love to know your thoughts on this recipe.

Have you tried this leaves before?