Indonesian Recipe - Baked Balado Eggplant

The Balado is original recipe from Minang West Sumatera Province.  If you go to any Padang restaurant around the world, you can find a number of balado dishes. Balado is a red hot tomato and chili sauce with onion and garlic mixed with beef, eggs, fish, or vegetables.   One of the most common ways of serving it is on fried or baked eggplant.

Ingredients:
    1 large eggplant
    3 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
    4 tbs (50g) chopped onion
    1 1/2 (400ml) fresh ripe tomatoes
    1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
    1 tsp (5ml) salt
    2 tsp (10ml) fresh red hot chili peppers
    1/2 cup (125 ml) water
    2 tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil


How To cook Balado Eggplant:

1. Cut the eggplant into long quarter-round strips. Bake them at 400F or 200C for 20-25 minutes, or until they are soft but not mushy.
2. 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.
3. Fry the tomato paste in the oil until the liquid is reduced (about 10 minutes).
4. Pour the sauce over the eggplant, and serve immediately.

Servings : 6