Aubergine Petjal.(Aubergine and peanut curry.)
This dish goes very well with Indonesian spiced coconut rice.
Ingredients.
750 g / 1 1/2 lbs of aubergines, cut into 2.5 cm / 1 inch pieces.
1/2 a teaspoon of salt.
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
4 shallots, chopped.
2 garlic cloves, crushed.
1 teaspoon of dried shrimp paste.
1/2 a teaspoon of ground ginger.
250 ml / 8 floz of coconut milk.
1 teaspoon of tamarind paste.
1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce.
1 tablespoon of sambal oelek.(a very hot sauce made from chillies and vinegar.)
1 tablespoon of soft brown sugar.
125 g / 4 oz of roasted peanuts, coarsely ground.
Method.
1. Rub the salt all over the aubergine cubes and place them in a steamer above a pan of boiling water. Steam for about 5 minutes until just tender, drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy based frying pan, add the shallots and garlic, and fry over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the shrimp paste and ginger and fry for 3 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, tamarind paste, soy sauce, sambal oelek and sugar. Stir well and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir the steamed aubergines into the sauce and cook gently for a further 5 minutes. Add the ground peanuts to the curry and cook gently for another 2 minutes.
Serve with rice.
Serves 4.
