Indonesian Spicy Eggplant and Anchovies

Looking for a little culinary adventure… Trying to spice up your dinner menu… Then have I got the dish for you… Indonesian Spicy Eggplant and Anchovies. The traditional dish is known as Balado Terong, but while this recipe was based on this dish, I have made some minor alterations simplifying it a bit and focusing on the flavors that I believe make this dish special.

For those of you who have tried Indonesian Balado Terong before, you will note that several ingredients like lime leaves and tomatoes have been removed. This is just my way of putting my own Filipino spin on the dish. While Filipino Cuisine and Indonesian Cuisine have much in common, we each have our own unique flavor profiles and I have tried to stay true to mine. I hope you like the changes.

Why I Do Love This Recipe?

So this is my first recipe and I chose this because it really is a great example of making the most of your everyday moments. As you may remember, I am currently living in Daejeon, Korea, and when I first moved here, I did not know anybody. One of the things I have learned over my many moves is to get to know your neighbors. You never know what you will learn in the process.

For me, one of the first people I met was my friend Errie. One day while she was cooking food for her family, she knocked on my door and asked me to taste the dish she was preparing… It was so yummy that I asked her to show me how to make it. Thus started my culinary exploration of Indonesian food.

While I admit, I have a limited number of Indonesian recipes, this has become one of my go-to lunches, especially when I am trying to cut back on my carbs. One of the great things about this dish is that you have the option to cut out the rice and create a Keto-friendly dish.

What to Pair with this Dish

While this dish is designed to be a stand-alone-meal and something I eat myself for lunch all the time, It could be served at anytime including:

For Breakfast- You could serve it with a little fried rice and eggs. While not a traditional western breakfast, for those of you that have spent time in Asia, particularly the islands, this type of meal can be a great way to start your day.

For Lunch- Consider adding slices of Cucumbers and Raw Tomato with a little salt and pepper. The acid really does a great job lightening the entire meal.

For Dinner- Try serving it with Krupuk or Indonesian Crackers… what is Krupuk you say? It is a deep fried snack made with tapioca and flour mixed with various seasonings and can be used to add texture to any dish.

Storage and Freshness

To store, place in an air tight container and refrigerate. It will maintain its freshness for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave for about 90 seconds on high per serving. If you are like me however, it is also tastes great served cold as a salad, antipasto style.

Low Carb Options

Simply remove the rice and eat it by itself. It is great with or without rice.

Ingredients

4 Long Eggplants

4 Long Korean Red Chili Peppers (hong-gochu) (Low to Medium Heat 1500 SCU)

3 Long Korean Green Chile Peppers (put-gochu) (Low to Medium Heat 1500 SCU)

4 Red Thai Chili Peppers (Up to 100,000 SCU)

6 Gloves of Garlic

1/2 Whole Yellow Onion

1/2 Tbsp of Salt

1/2 Tbsp of Black pepper

1/2 Tbsp of Sugar

1 Cup of Grapeseed Oil

1 Cup Anchovies

Instructions

1. In the food processor add all the chili peppers, (remove seeds to reduce heat) and garlic then blend it until it becomes a paste and set aside.
2. Add onion to the empty food processor and blend until it becomes paste. Remove and set aside.
3. Rinse and Slice Eggplants into planks 1/3 -1/2″ inch thick then cut in half. Dry with paper towel to improve browning.
4. Heat pan over medium high heat until rim of pan is hot to the touch, add 4 tbsp. of oil. Pan fry eggplant until golden brown, do not over crowd pan. Set aside and continue the same process until all the eggplants are cooked.
5. Heat pan over medium high heat until rim of pan is hot to the touch, add 4 tbsp. of oil. Pan fry the anchovies until golden brown and crispy. Then set aside.

Assembly Directions on How to make Indonesian Spicy Eggplant with Anchovies

1. Heat pan over medium high heat until rim of pan is hot to the touch, add 2 tbsp. of oil. add chili paste and onion paste together cook 5-10 minutes until excess water has evaporated and it becomes a paste like consistency. over a medium heat.
2. Once the chili paste is cooked add salt, black pepper and sugar according to your preferred taste.
3. Add the cooked eggplant and anchovies then mixed all together.
4. Add tbsp oil if necessary do to dryness or add additional seasoning to taste.
5. Serve over white or brown rice.

In Conclusion

Well thank you for checking out my first ever internet recipe, I hope you enjoy this dish. Also, if you enjoyed the post, please click the like button, make a comment below and/or subscribe to my Blog and Facebook page. Please keep your eyes open for more recipes and posts as I continue to explore new ways to help you make life just a little more fun by finding the best ways to “Live life one moment at a time”

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