Spicy Singaporean Sambal Eggplant with Fried Basil Leaves

Name: Spicy Singaporean Sambal Eggplant with Fried Basil Leaves
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 2 medium-sized eggplants; 1 tsp salt; 2 cups vegetable oil; 4 tbsp sambal oelek; 2 cloves garlic; 1 small onion; 1 cup fresh basil leaves; 1 cup vegetable oil; Cooked jasmine rice

A spicy, fragrant delight

This Singaporean dish combines the rich flavors of eggplant with a spicy sambal and the aromatic notes of fried basil leaves.

1 h 10 min
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Eggplant

2 medium-sized eggplants

sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

1 tsp salt

for sweating the eggplants

2 cups vegetable oil

for frying

For the Sambal

4 tbsp sambal oelek

store-bought or homemade

2 cloves garlic

minced

1 small onion

chopped

For the Fried Basil

1 cup fresh basil leaves

washed and thoroughly dried

1 cup vegetable oil

for frying

For Serving

Cooked jasmine rice

optional, as needed

Preparation

Preparing the Eggplant

Season eggplants with salt

Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let sit for 20 minutes.

Dry eggplants

Rinse off the salt and pat the slices dry with paper towels.

Heat oil

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet for frying.

Making the Sambal

Heat oil

In a separate pan, heat a small amount of oil on medium heat.

Sauté aromatics

Add minced garlic and chopped onion, sautéing until fragrant.

Cook sambal

Stir in sambal oelek and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cooking Process

Fry the eggplant

Deep fry eggplant slices until golden brown, then drain on paper towels.

Fry the basil

Heat oil in a small pot, carefully fry the basil leaves until crisp, about 10 seconds.

Cook the sambal sauce

Let the sambal cook down until it thickens slightly before tossing with eggplants.

Plating & Serving