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Lunu Miris Pol Roti Recipe | Traditional Sri Lankan Dish

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CategoryCuisineServingsTotal timeSpice levelKids friendly
Side dishSri Lankan3 adult25 minutes🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️❌ (see notes)

The Soul of Lunu Miris & Pol Roti

Pol roti with lunu miris is Sri Lanka at its purest warm coconut roti dipped into bold chilli sambol. Humble, rustic, and full of soul, the Rasa Padhama way.

Lunu miris with pol roti is one of the most iconic pairings in Sri Lankan home cooking, deeply rooted in village life and everyday meals. Simple, bold and intensely flavourful, this combination celebrates the country’s love for fresh coconut, chilli and lime, without the need for elaborate cooking.

Pol roti is made with freshly grated coconut kneaded into soft dough, cooked on a hot pan until golden with crisp spots and a tender centre. Paired with lunu miris a fiery sambol of crushed red chillies, onion, lime and salt it creates a powerful balance of heat, aroma and comfort.

This dish is commonly eaten for breakfast, tea‑time or a light dinner, often enjoyed sitting around the kitchen table, tearing roti by hand and dipping it generously into sambol. Honest, rustic and unmistakably Sri Lankan, lunu miris and pol roti represent food at its most elemental and satisfying.

Ingredients

Method

For Pol Roti

  • 2 cups freshly grated coconut
  • 1½ cups wheat flour
  • Salt, to taste
  • Warm water, as needed
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For Lunu Miris

  • 1 small red onion, finely sliced
  • Salt, to taste
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp Maldive fish flakes

2 tbsp Chilli Flakes Add To Cart

Making It Kid Friendly

To make a milder version suitable for children:

Add a little extra grated coconut to soften the heat

Reduce chilli flakes significantly

Skip Maldive fish powder

Pol Roti

  • In a bowl, combine grated coconut, flour and salt.
  • Gradually add warm water and mix to form a soft, non‑sticky dough.
  • Divide the dough into small balls and flatten into discs.
  • Heat a pan or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with oil.
  • Cook the roti for 3 – 4 minutes on each side until cooked through with light golden spots. Keep warm.

Lunu Miris

  • Grind or crush the chilli flakes and salt together using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon.
  • Add the sliced onion and crush lightly.
  • Mix in the Maldive fish flakes.
  • Squeeze in lime juice and mix well to form a coarse sambol.

To Serve

  • Serve pol roti hot, alongside freshly made lunu miris
  • Best enjoyed by hand with a cup of hot tea
  • Can be paired with plain dhal or coconut sambol if desired

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