Mallung( Shredded Green Leaves With Coconut)

A maying is very much part of the Sri Lankan diet. It can best be described as a dry accompaniment, very tasty, to be eaten with rice. One or two different mallungs are served with every meal and play an important part in nutrition because this is how the people of Sri Lanka get their vitamins. The leaves of many common plants are used, some of them grow in Western countries too for instance, the yellow flowered cassia. The flowers are dried to make an infusion for medicinal purposes, and the leaves are stripped from the stems and used for mallung. They have a pleasant sour flavour. Tender passion fruit leaves also make delicious mallung. One of the most popular is 'gotakolle ', which looks like violet leaves but is a type of cress which grows near water. as a substitute, use the common curly parsley so readily available.
Serves. 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely shredded green leaves
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, seeded and chopped, optional
• l/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons pounded Maldive fish
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 tablespoons freshly grated or desiccated coconut

Directions

Put leaves into a saucepan with all the ingredients except coconut. If there is not much water clinging to leaves after washing, add a sprinkling of water. Stir well, cover and cook Over medium heat, about 6 minutes. Uncover, add coconut and toss over low heat until coconut absorbs all the liquid. Remove from heat. Serve hot or cold as an accompaniment to rice.