AI-generated image
Wambatu moju
වම්බටු මෝජු (wambatu moju): crisp-fried aubergine in a sweet, sour and spicy mustard-vinegar pickle with shallots
No wedding buffet or almsgiving lunch in the Colombo suburbs feels complete without a dish of wambatu moju, the dark, glossy aubergine pickle that people go back for long after the curries have run out. Strips of long purple aubergine are coloured with turmeric, fried until they shrink and turn deep gold, then tossed with whole shallots and green chillies in a hot, sweet-and-sour paste of ground mustard seed, vinegar and sugar. It is eaten in small spoonfuls with rice, and it tastes even better a day later, once the flavours have soaked in. The point that trips most cooks up is under-frying the aubergine: pale pieces soak up the vinegar like a sponge and go soggy, so fry until they are properly brown and slightly shrivelled. Chef's tip: grind the mustard seeds with some of the vinegar rather than buying ready-made mustard; the fresh paste gives the pickle its pleasant nose-tingling bite.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the aubergine
- 1 ⅛ lb long purple auberginescut into 5 cm x 1 cm strips
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable oilfor frying
- 12 small shallotspeeled and left whole (halve large ones)
- 6 green chilliesslit lengthways
For the pickle paste
- 1 ½ tbsp black mustard seeds
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cm piece fresh gingerpeeled
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb long purple aubergines with 1 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Heat 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat until a strip sizzles at once, then fry the aubergine in 3–4 batches for 4–5 minutes each until deep golden and shrunken. Drain on kitchen paper.
15 minStep 3: Fry 12 small shallots and 6 green chillies in the same oil for about 1 minute until the shallots are glossy but still firm, then drain.
2 minStep 4: In a mortar or small blender, grind 1 ½ tbsp black mustard seeds with half of 2 ½ tbsp white vinegar, 4 cloves garlic and 2 cm piece fresh ginger to a smooth paste.
Step 5: Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the oil from the wok, set it over a medium-low heat and fry the paste for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
1 minStep 6: Add the rest of 2 ½ tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp red chilli powder and 2 tbsp sugar and simmer for 2–3 minutes until it thickens to a light syrup.
3 minStep 7: Add the fried aubergine, shallots and chillies and toss gently for 1–2 minutes until everything is coated. Taste for salt and sugar.
2 minStep 8: Cool completely, then keep covered in the fridge for up to a week. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does wambatu moju take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of small shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Polos curry
Polos is the tiny unripe jackfruit picked in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces long before it sweetens, and cooked low and slow it becomes one of the island's most loved festival curries, especially at Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April and at wedding lunches. The firm, pale flesh soaks up a very dark roasted curry powder, garlic, ginger, goraka (a smoky souring fruit) and coconut milk until it turns almost black-brown and tastes rich, sour and meaty. Fresh polos is hard to find abroad; tinned young green jackfruit in brine works well. A frequent mistake is not cooking it long enough, which leaves it squeaky; the pieces must be soft enough to break with a spoon. Chef's tip: oil your hands and knife before cutting fresh jackfruit; the sticky white sap washes off oiled skin but not dry skin.
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Vietnamese