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Sri LankanVegetables and Pulses

Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste (Sri Lankan Watercress Recipe)

written by Amila Gamage Wickramarachchi August 8, 2017
Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste
Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste (Sri Lankan Watercress Recipe)

Sarana is a kind of leaves which is commonly found in Sri Lanka. This leafy green is always a popular choice to cook with dhal curry. As it is a kind of watery leaf, the taste is good if you mix with another vegetable or grains including potato and dhal. However in this recipe, I cooked sarana leaves (watercress leaves) with a coconut paste. As I added garlic and black peppercorn for the coconut paste, the flavours are different. The same coconut paste I use when I cook pumpkin curry to make it more flavourful.

Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste

Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste (Sri Lankan Watercress Recipe)

I learned this way of cooking from my mother and as I remember she mention the name โ€˜Niyambalaโ€™ for the green leaves cook with this coconut paste. She likes to cook pumpkin leaves as niyambalawa (wattakka dalu niyambalawa) .However as I cant find pumpkin leaves, I cooked watercress with this coconut paste.Try this.This recipe is a really great way to add a different flavour to your menu.

Also check: Watercress stir-fry recipe

Watercress

You will find that I also mention the name โ€˜Kakkutu Palaโ€™ for this watercress leaves. Although I am also not sure about the correct Sinhala name for watercress, you can use sarana leaves, Kakkutu pala or any watery leaf in this recipe.

Sarana Niyambalawa (Sri Lankan watercress recipe)

Sarana Leaves with Coconut Paste (Sri Lankan Watercress Recipe)

 

Recipe: Sarana Leaves with coconut (Sri Lankan Watercress Recipe / Sarana Niyambalawa)

Ingredients

1 bunch of watercress leaves (or Sarana leaves)

2-3 shallots/small red onions

1-2 green chili

ยฝ cup thick coconut milk

ยฝ cup of fresh grated coconut

1-2 cloves of garlic

1 tspn of peppercorn (or black pepper)

Salt as per taste

 

Method:

First clean and wash watercress. Coarsely Cut into 2-3 inches pieces. Keep aside for draining water.

Wash, clean and slice onion and green chilli. Keep aside.

Now it is time to prepare the coconut paste.

Coconut Paste:

Grind coconut, garlic cloves and peppercorns (black pepper) into a thin fine paste. Add pinch of salt for the same paste.

Cooking:

In a pot add chopped watercress leaves (Sarana kola), sliced onion, green chilli and coconut paste. Add 3-4 tbsp. of water. Mix all.

Cook in low heat for about 4-5 minutes until it is cooked. Add thick coconut milk once it is cooked. Check and adjust salt. Remove from heat once coconut milk starts boiling.

Watercress is ready to serve with plain rice or roti.

Green LeavesLeafy GreensSarana leavesSri Lankan foodSri Lankan RecipesWatercress
15 comments
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Amila Gamage Wickramarachchi

Amila Gamage is the blogger behind Food Corner. She is a Sri Lankan living in Singapore and shares her cooking adventures in this blog. Apart from recipes, you will also find travel, health and kitchen inspirations in this blog. She is the founder of Sihela Consultants. (www.sihelaconsultants.com) She started writing this blog in 2011 and still continuing.

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15 comments

Christie Brown August 9, 2017 - 8:15 am

Sounds interesting! I’ve never heard of Sarana leaves but I do love me a good coconut-based curry so I’m intrigued to give this a try!

Reply
Kate August 9, 2017 - 8:23 am

This sounds amazing. I bet the cool coconut is lovely against the peppery watercress.

Reply
Amelia August 9, 2017 - 10:19 am

Hi Amila, this sarana leaves is something new to me, haven’t see this vege in the market. But with coconut it sure look delicious. Thanks for sharing.

Have a nice day, regards.
Amelia

Reply
Rose August 9, 2017 - 1:30 pm

I have never had watercress before. The dish looks good and I would try it. I like how you made coconut paste.

Reply
Alethea August 9, 2017 - 8:32 pm

Looks very green and healthy! Thanks for sharing another great recipe.

-Alethea

Reply
Sohaiba Irfan August 9, 2017 - 9:19 pm

This sounds like a yummy recipe!

Reply
SHIVRANJANI RATHORE August 9, 2017 - 10:50 pm

Sounds really good. I would try this.

Reply
Ana Ojha August 9, 2017 - 10:58 pm

Never heard of Sarana leaves before! It has green chilies that I can’t eat! But it looks quite delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!

Reply
Karyn Locke August 10, 2017 - 12:13 am

I bet this dish smells as amazing as it tastes!

Reply
Ania Travels August 10, 2017 - 11:00 am

I’ve never been to sri lanka but am dying to go, I’ve traved other parts near there and was totally in love with all the coconut pastes. I would love to try to make this at home, thanks for sharing the recipe.

Reply
Anamika Debnath August 10, 2017 - 7:43 pm

I have not an idea any such recipe before. Sounds really good love to try this ๐Ÿ™‚

Reply
danasia fantastic August 11, 2017 - 2:09 pm

This looks so tasty! I’m trying to eat a bit healthier so this came at the perfect time!

Reply
Sabine August 12, 2017 - 12:39 pm

This is so New to me. I have never aten this. I would love to try it! With Your recipe, now I can ๐Ÿ™‚ looks so Healthy!

Reply
LaiAriel R. Samangka ( Thelittlelai: Beyond limits) August 20, 2017 - 7:49 am

I haven’t heard about Sarana Leaves, but looks very familiar to me. I love how you were able to introduce to us about this luscious food in Sri Lanka. How you have come up with the whole recipe is really a help for those that are planning to cook this luscious food. I think, what I love about it is the spicy touch on my taste buds. I will surely eat a lot If this is the viand served on our dining table. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Reply
GiGi Eats August 23, 2017 - 1:45 pm

THAT looks amazing! Coconut brings a whole new body of delicious to ANY meal!!!! I love this dish so much!

Reply

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