Ingredients
1 eggplant (I used two small ones thanks to my neighbour Denise!)
Sea salt
2 tsp roasted garlic (Pete uses dried garlic and rehydrates it)
1 small onion
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp shrimp paste
3 tbs coconut oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Method
1. Cut your eggplant into long batons. Mine were about 8 cm in length and a 1cm think.
2. Place on a tray or chopping board and sprinkle with the sea salt. Allow the sea salt to soak in for about 10 minutes. You will see the eggplant release some juices. Sprinkling the eggplant with the salt takes away some of the bitterness.
3. Rinse well and pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Pound your roasted garlic in a pestle and mortar till you have a paste, add onion, chilli powder, turmeric, salt and the shrimp paste. Combine this with your eggplant batons.
5. Using a non-stick frying pan heat your coconut oil and fry your eggplant for approximately 5 minutes. Your eggplant will start to soften up but you don’t want it too soft otherwise it will start to fall apart.
6. Add 3 tbs of water, cover and simmer gently for a further 5 minutes.
7. Add apple cider vinegar and fish sauce and cook gently for a further 2 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat, set aside and enjoy with the Burmese Beef Cheek Curry.