A bowl filled with sambal eggplant, garnished with cilantro, with a black spoon on the side.

5 / 2 votes

Sambal Eggplant

Sambal eggplant is a common, and beloved, dish in Malaysia and Singapore. Made with a handful of ingredients—eggplant, sambal belacan, dried shrimp, and some oil—it's brilliant served over rice for a simple yet satisfying dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Malaysian

Servings: serving

Calories: 548

Ingredients

For the sambal eggplant

▢ 3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
▢ 1 (6-ounce) globe, Italian, or Indian eggplant*, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) chunks
▢ 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (hebi), lightly crushed
▢ 2 tablespoons sambal belacan
▢ 1/4 cup water
▢ Salt, optional

To serve

▢ Fresh cilantro leaves with stems
▢ Steamed rice

US - Metric

Instructions

Make the sambal eggplant

In a medium wok or skillet over high heat, warm the oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add the eggplant and dried shrimp and stir-fry them until the eggplant is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the sambal belacan and toss to thoroughly coat the eggplant. Pour in the water and stir the eggplant again.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the eggplant has softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Serve the sambal eggplant

Serve the eggplant with cilantro and steamed rice.

Notes

*How do I keep my sliced eggplant from turning brown?

Once that supple eggplant is exposed to air, it'll oxidize pretty fast, turning brown if you leave them in the open air for too long. To prevent this, you can prepare a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt in it. Cut up those eggplants with abandon, then dump into the water. This is especially helpful to cut down on discoloration if you have a lapse between slicing and cooking. But honestly, what are you waiting for?

Nutrition