Spicy Eggplant (Terong Balado)

This is a dish easily available in Indonesia. Different states have different ways of cooking the chile topping - some use tomatoes, some use tamarind. There are no hard and fast rules in making this simple yet tasty vegetable dish.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 264 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion
• ½ tomato
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 5 fresh red chile peppers
• 2 long eggplants, sliced into 1 1/2-inch pieces

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place chile peppers, onion, tomato, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse briefly until coarsely chopped.

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat until shimmering. Arrange half the eggplant in a single layer and pan-fry until slightly browned and soft, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving dish. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining eggplant.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet. Add chile mixture; cook and stir until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in sugar and salt. Spoon chile mixture over eggplant.