Scrape the flesh from half a mature coconut into fine shreds, or use the fine-toothed side of a box grater. You want about 250 g Coconuts: loose, damp and sweet-smelling. Chop the Red onions very fine. Finer than you think you need: it should disappear into the coconut rather than crunch raw and sharp.

⚠ Fresh scraped coconut carries its own milk, which is what makes pol sambol juicy. Desiccated coconut will need a splash of coconut milk and still tastes flatter, drier and slightly gritty.

• Coconuts
• Red onions