Fried eggplant in chili sauce or sambal terung is a Malaysian dish that is easy to prepare. The eggplant’s sweetness is a great contrast to the spicy sauce. It is a tasty side to meats, but you can eat it as is too. It is very delicious with white rice.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 eggplants (Asian or Mediterranean variety)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the chili sauce:
8 pieces dried red chili
2 fresh red chili, seeded
6 shallots, peeled
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons tamarind juice or 1/2 teaspoon tamarind powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Soak the dried chili in warm water for 10-15 minutes or until soft. After, drain them and remove the seeds.
Slice the ends of the eggplants. Cut it into half and then lengthwise. Next, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices in batches for 2-3 minutes per side or until it is browned and wilted. Place the cooked eggplants on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
While frying the eggplants, prepare the chili sauce by combining the soaked dried chili, fresh chili, shallots and garlic in a food processor or blender. Gradually add the oil as you process the ingredients for 1 minute or until you form a paste. You may also use a mortar and pestle if desired.
In the same skillet, heat three tablespoons of oil and set the heat to medium. Stir-fry the paste for 3-5 minutes or until the oil separates from the paste. Add the tamarind juice, sugar and salt. Stir it for a minute until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Place the cooked eggplants on a serving dish and top it with Chili sauce. Serve immediately.
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