Thursday 15 June 2017

Sambal Brinjals


I know this bowl of Sambal Brinjals does not look legit. Sambal Brinjals are supposed to look all red and fiery and mine is so...so... yellow.

That's because I coated the brinjals with a tad too much turmeric powder. But turmeric is good for our health, so I guess it's fine.

This is one vegetable dish that I make a beeline for whenever I see it at the nasi campur stall. I just can't get enough of it.

There are many other fans, I observed. Once I was at Village Park and a Chinese guy asked the serving staff to reserve the entire brinjal sambal dish for his party. Semua? Semua! Too bad for the brinjal fans queuing behind him. 


The thing about brinjals is that they absorb a lot of oil. Just like a sponge. To cook Sambal Brinjals, you have to fry the brinjals first until browned and tender. This is one vegetable that you don't want to undercook. 

You also need a lot of oil to saute the sambal or else it will not turn out well. I was quite taken aback by the amount of oil used, especially when frying the brinjals. It's rather scary. A dish to be consumed sparingly.

Sambal Brinjals
Recipe source : Adapted from Senangnya Memasak Sambal

Ingredients :
-  2 brinjals, cut onto smaller pieces
- 1 tsp turmeric powder for coating the brinjals
- 1 big onion, sliced into rings
- salt to taste
- oil for frying

Spice paste (pounded or blended)
- 8 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon belacan

- 2 tbsp chili paste

Method :
1. Rub brinjals with turmeric and salt.
2. Heat oil in pan and fry the brinjals in batches until slightly browned and softened. Set aside.
3. Using the same oil (remove some if too much) saute the pounded shallots/garlic and chili paste until aromatic and oil seperates.
4. Add brinjals and stir fry to mix. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

33 comments:

  1. Oooo thanks for the recipe, PH

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love sambal brinjal too but, like you, I find it scary too at the way it absorbs oil. When I pan-fry to soften them, I had to keep adding oil as they just keep absorbing the oil. Sometimes I wonder if it's quicker to soften by just deep-frying them. I've never made sambal brinjal at home. Maybe it's because I just don't want to see (and admit) the amount of oil used...haha! :D But I'm very tempted to make this :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just close your eyes and ignore the oil :D These sambal brinjals were delicious. I think you will enjoy them.

      Delete
  3. Hi Phong Hong, this post comes in timely. Yesterday, I bought some brinjals and haven't any new ideas. Will try your style by frying brinjals with tumeric and salt, then with my mum's sambal dried prawn paste, hehehe, great combination. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kimmy! I am sure your brinjals will turn out delicious!

      Delete
  4. I love to eat brinjals so your version is perfectly legit to me because I can not eat too spicy food.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is good, in fact you can even omit the chilies.

      Delete
  5. If I may share with you, my SIL just boil the brinjals instead of frying them. A healthier way but of course it doesn't as tastier as the fried ones :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I see! That's a good idea but yeah, nothing beats frying >.<

      Delete
  6. I always love to eat at the Malay restaurant called RIMBUN where they served this delicious brinjal cooked in spicy sambals. I had no idea how they cooked but it was so wet and oily. Now I have some idea after reading this post and bookmarked it.

    In Thailand, I have watched our servants cooked by slicing the brinjals and panggang over the wok till brown and eat with the fiery hot Thai sambal. I believe that they marinated something but I don't remember.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My grandma used to grill the brinjals over the stove too and eat with sambak belacan. Very delicious! Eh, where are your hashtags? :D

      Delete
  7. Haha yea, i used to cook brinjal quite a lot then cut down cos of the amount of oil needed when cooking it. But it's sooooo good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Another brinjal dish I love is the Chinese style one with minced meat.

      Delete
  8. I agree that brinjals soak up oil like a sponge. Another way is to steam it and then toss in sambal. Love your delicious dish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a healthier way to enjoy them :)

      Delete
  9. My girl's favourite. If it's brinjal, she loves it! Period.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to know that. Brinjal is one of my favorites too!

      Delete
  10. I love brinjal - but don't like to fry them, so I learned a new a tip - instead of frying - I coated it with little oil and microwave it. Come out beautiful and not that super oily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AH, I should try that. Thanks for the tip!

      Delete
  11. consume sparingly? but it's too tempting! :D maybe you could also do a creamy brinjal curry sometime! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes! Brinjal curry is delicious!

      Delete
  12. Got to control myself on spicy food as my throat is sore since yesterday. Sigh.

    Reminded me of what the manak serves in.the shop. ^^

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yum yum! I love brinjals cooked in any way. Sambal brinjals great with white rice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brinjals in dry curry is also super delicious!

      Delete
  14. Ni mmg my faveret menu ni LL. Ha a terung ni mmg mengumpul minyakkan, tp tulah....kalau tak goreng dulu, kurang powerkan....

    I pernah bakar LL sebagai ganti goreng

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LL nak buat ujikaji bakar dalam oven. Kalau jadi, nak letak dalam blog hah..hah..

      Delete
  15. Sambal + brinjal, my version is steaming it, healthier :P

    ReplyDelete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete