Terong Balado
Submitted by mccullrl
Baked eggplant strips smothered in a fiery Indonesian sambal of crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion and red chili peppers. Terong Balado is a bold, spicy vegetable dish that’s naturally vegan.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
60 minTerong Balado is Indonesian comfort food at its most elemental: soft, silky eggplant drenched in a fiery chili-tomato sauce called balado.
The eggplant bakes until tender, while fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, red chili peppers, salt and sugar get hand-mashed into a coarse, rustic paste.
That paste hits hot oil and fries down for about ten minutes until the liquid evaporates and the flavors concentrate into something intensely savory and spicy.
Pour it over the warm eggplant and serve right away while everything is vibrant and sizzling.
It’s naturally vegan, beautifully simple, and packs serious heat.
Kitchen Tips
- Bake the eggplant until soft but not collapsing. You want it to hold its shape when the sauce goes on top.
- Mash the tomato mixture with a wooden spoon for a rustic, chunky texture. A blender makes it too smooth and loses the character of a proper balado.
- Fry the paste until most of the liquid has cooked off. The sauce should be thick and concentrated, not watery.
- Adjust the red chili peppers to your heat tolerance. Two teaspoons is a solid medium heat by Indonesian standards, but add more if you like it fiery.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the eggplant into long quarter-round strips.
Bake them at 400 200 for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are soft but not mushy.
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 immediately
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