Wambatu Moju- Eggplant/Brinjal Pickle recipe – By Malsha – eLanka

Wambatu Moju – Eggplant/Brinjal Pickle recipe – By Malsha – eLanka

Ingredients:

Seasoning for Eggplant:

• 1 big eggplant (about 400g), cut into thick batons
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp turmeric

Garnish:

• 3 green chillies, slit in the middle or cut into halves
• 8 shallots (small red onions) or 1 large red onion, cut into big chunks

Pickle Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (made from 3 garlic cloves and a 1/2-inch piece of ginger, ground together)
• 1 tbsp unroasted chilli powder
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/4 cup tamarind juice (made from 8 tamarind seeds soaked in 1/4 cup water)

Instructions:

1. Begin by seasoning the eggplant. Place the eggplant batons on a strainer, sprinkle with salt and turmeric, and let them sit for 30 minutes to allow excess water to drain.
2. Peel the shallots and prepare the green chillies.
3. Grind the mustard seeds into a powder using a mortar and pestle. Mix the powdered mustard seeds with vinegar and salt, and let it sit for another 30 minutes to mellow out the bitterness.
4. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Fry the eggplant batons in batches until golden and cooked through. Place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
5. Fry the shallots and green chillies briefly, for about 30 seconds, until partially cooked. Drain them on a paper towel.
6. Once the mustard mixture has rested, add chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, tamarind juice, and sugar to it. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
7. Taste the pickle gravy and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
8. To make tamarind juice, soak tamarind seeds in water and massage them for 10 minutes until the water turns into tamarind juice.
9. Once the gravy has thickened to the desired consistency, add the fried eggplant, shallots, and green chillies. Mix well until the eggplant absorbs the pickle gravy. Turn off the heat.
10. Serve the pickled eggplant with hot rice and your favorite accompaniments.

Enjoy your flavorful pickled eggplant dish!