Salted Fish and Eggplant Curry Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6

250 g

1 teaspoon

10 cloves

3 cups

3 tablespoons

1/4 cup

1/2 teaspoon

1-2 teaspoons

Dried salted fish

Medium eggplants (about 500g)

Ground turmeric

Salt

Large fresh sweet chilies

Garlic, peeled and left whole

Large onion, finely sliced

Coconut milk

Ceylon curry powder

Malt vinegar

Salt, or to taste

Sugar

Oil for frying

Small stick cinnamon

Walnut size piece of tamarind pulp

Method :

Wash the dried fish, drain and then cut into 5 cm pieces.
Slice the eggplants thickly.
Rub each slice with turmeric and salt and set aside for 30 minutes.
Wash chilies, slit and remove seeds.
Drain liquid given off from eggplant slices and dry each slice on kitchen paper.
Heat about quarter cup oil in a frying pan and fry separately the dried fish, chilies, garlic, onion and eggplant, removing each to a dish as fried.
It may be necessary to replenish the oil as it is used up, for the eggplant absorbs quite a lot.
Put the coconut milk into a saucepan with the ground and whole spices, tamarind dissolved in vinegar, and salt.
Stir until it comes to the boil, add fried ingredients and keep stirring frequently as the mixture cooks, uncovered.
When it is thick, add sugar and stir to dissolve before serving.

Note : Sweet chilies are slightly wider in shape and milder in flavor than hot chilies.