Sri Lankan Pickled Eggplant Brinjal Moju
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
- 1 cup/250ml/8.8flozs oil
- 500g/1.1lbs Japanese eggplant (around 7)
- 150g/5ozs. red onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
- 5cm/2inch piece ginger, peeled and finely diced
- 20 curry leaves
- 1 chilli, sliced
- 3 tablespoons/60ml white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar (or to taste)
- 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Black Pepper
Step 1 - Cut the stems from the eggplants and slice in half lengthways and then cut into half moons. Add oil to a saucepan or pot and fry the eggplant in 2-3 batches. How much oil depends on how you want to fry it. I was shown to deep fry the eggplant but you can also shallow fry it. You want it to be soft and sticky and browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 2 - Add the onion and sauté until caramelised. Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and chilli and sauté for a minute. Add the eggplant back in and add the vinegar, sugar, turmeric and mustard seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sauté for another 20 minutes until sweet, sticky and salty.