Cooking with Ibu Trish: Terong Balado (Eggplant in Tomato-Chili Sauce)

We had a bunch of eggplants in the fridge the other morning, but only one tomato. I was looking idly out the window, wishing some tomatoes would materialize, when right on cue the vegetable cart came down the street. Voila! Terong balado!

The finished product

This is easy, doesn't require any special ingredients, and is found all over Jakarta. Sabrina's, the locally renowned warung down the street from the Post, makes a version that leaves me speechless (of course, that's easier in Indonesian ...).

This recipe is stolen and slightly modified from asiarecipe.com.

• 1 lg Eggplant
• 3 Garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
• 4 tb Onion or Shallot, chopped
• 1 1/2 c fresh Tomatoes, diced or just smushed into the bowl with your hands (the more fun method)
• 1 t Sugar
• 1 t Salt
• 2 ts fresh minced hot chili peppers or hot chili sauce, to taste
  
• 1/2 c Water
• 2 tb Vegetable oil

If you have the kind of big eggplant one usually gets in the US, cut it into quarters or even eighths, and then cut those into segments 2 or 3 inches long. If you have skinny eggplants, just cut them in half, and then into segments. Bake them at 400 200 for 20-25 minutes, or until they are soft but not mushy. (Err on the side of overcooking, because undercooked eggplant is a crime.)

We don't have an oven, so I steamed the eggplant and then fried it for better texture

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, sugar, peppers and water and mash with a wooden spoon until it forms a coarse paste.

Fry the tomato paste in the oil until the liquid is reduced (about 10 minutes). Pour the sauce over the eggplant and serve with rice. Eat voraciously.