Terong Balado - Indonesian Sambal Eggplant
Experience the bold and fiery flavors of Terong Balado, a popular Indonesian dish. Tender eggplants, vibrant sambal chili sauce, and a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and savory notes create an authentic taste adventure that will leave you craving for more.
Equipment
- a Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, (cut into bite pieces)
- 3 oz shallots, (peeled and chopped)
- 1 oz fresh long red chili pepper, such as Fresno or red jalapeno, (stem removed and chopped) - use less or more according to your taste
- 5 oz tomato, (peeled and chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt, (add more according to your liking)
- 2 teaspoons sugar, (add more according to your liking)
- 10 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Optional:
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
Instructions
- Heat ½ cup of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the eggplants in batches for 4-5 minutes or until tender and they release most of their cooking oil, stirring often. Transfer cooked eggplants to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batches.
- In a food processor or blender, combine 2 tablespoons of oil, shallots, garlic, and red chili pepper. Blend until smooth.
- In a pan without oil, sautee the balado sauce over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add tomato to the pan and cook until it softens and releases its juices, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add water, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and salt. Simmer the sauce until it slightly thickens, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the cooked eggplants to the pan and continue cooking until they are evenly coated with the balado sauce, about 2-3 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with extra salt and sugar according to your liking.
Notes
- Customize the level of sweetness and saltiness to suit your taste preferences. In this recipe, I have provided a basic amount of sugar and salt to use as a starting point. Feel free to adjust the amount of salt and sugar to suit your preference and flavor profile.
- De-seed the red chili pepper. If desired, you can de-seed the red chili pepper to adjust the heat level. Removing the seeds from the red chili pepper before pureeing them can help reduce the spiciness of the sauce.
- Opt for large and long red chili peppers. I advise against using small red chili peppers in the balado sauce. These tend to be significantly hotter than larger ones, packing approximately 15 times more heat than jalapeno peppers. If you do use them, grab only a small quantity to prevent the sauce from becoming overly spicy and impacting the overall color of the sauce (a more pinkish color). For a vibrant red color in your sauce, choose larger red chili peppers. These lend the balado sauce a deeper and richer red hue. If you live in the USA, look for red Fresno pepper, red jalapeno pepper, or red finger chile pepper.
- Cooking time. The cooking time for terong balado may vary depending on factors such as the type of pan and stove you're using and the thickness of the eggplants. Keep an eye on the dish while it's cooking and make any necessary modifications to ensure the eggplants are tender and the flavors are well-developed. Remember, cooking is an art, and adapting the timing to suit your specific cooking environment will result in the best outcome.
- While salting and draining eggplants before cooking can reduce bitterness and oil absorption, it's not always necessary. In this Terong Balado recipe, I skip the process and fry the eggplant slowly until tender, allowing it to release excess oil. The result is still delicious. Feel free to experiment and find the method that suits your taste preferences and achieves the desired outcome for your Terong Balado.
Nutrition
Calories: 41kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 199mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 260IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.5mg
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