Brinjal (Eggplant) Curry

Enjoyed island-wide at any special occasion and even during simple home cooked meals, the Brinjal Curry (Wambatu in Sinhalese; වම්බොටු මෝජු) can be enjoyed as a pickle or relish as well. A flavour bomb that explodes in your mouth, you can taste a little bit of sweet, sour and Spice at the same time.

In this particular recipe we make it a bit more thicker by using a little Coconut Milk. You can also try it without. A vegetarian dish, the simplicity and balance of flavours makes it a winner at any occasion.

There are various versions of this humble dish while the flavours and methods change according to the region and family secrets.

Here’s a simple recipe for you to try out.

Ingredients

• 500 Grams Eggplant (cut in to thin strips of about 2 inches)
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Curry Powder (mild - optional)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• 4 Small Red Onion (cut in to thin slices)
• 2 Cloves, Garlic (cut in to thin slices)
• 4 Medium Curry Leaves
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
• 1/3 Cup Coconut Milk (thick)
• 2 Medium Green chillies (thinly sliced)
• Oil (to fry the eggplant)

Method

• Add the Eggplant pieces and Turmeric in a large mixing bowl and mix well together and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large frying pot or pan and when oil is hot enough start to fry the eggplant until it turns a golden light brown (normally for about 8-10 minutes each batch but make sure to watch them and not let it burn).
• Once the eggplant is fried, take the pieces out of the frying pot and place them in a paper towel based tray to absorb the excess oil.
• In a another sauce pan add the Curry Powder, Chili Powder, onion, garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, curry leaves, green chilli and Coconut Milk together and mix well for about 2 minutes. Add the fried eggplant.
• Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.