Thai Eggplant (Thalana Batu) Curry
This Sri Lankan style Thai eggplant curry aka "Thalana Batu" or "Elabatu" curry turns out so creamy and buttery, it just melts in your mouth. Trust me if you try this once you're going to keep making it again and again.
- 400 g Thai eggplants
- 1/2 tsp Sri Lankan unroasted curry powder (can substitute a mild curry powder of your choice)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Maldive fish flakes/umbalakada
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large cloves of garlic chopped
- 3 tbsp finely chopped shallots or onions
- 2 green chilies sliced (adjust to your preference.)
- 1/8 tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 2-inch pieces of pandan leaves
- 1/2 cup thin coconut milk (if using canned, mix 1 part coconut milk with 2 part water)
- 1/2 cup thick coconut milk (if using canned, dilute with a little bit of water)
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- a few drops of lime juice (5 - 6 drops to your taste)
- salt to your taste
Cut and remove the stem and then cut them into quarters. Remove the seeds using a spoon. Wash them to remove any seeds left.
Mix Thai eggplant pieces with curry powder, turmeric powder, 1/2tsp salt, and Maldive fish flakes (don’t worry if you don’t have this ingredient). You can use a spoon or put everything into a container, cover and shake the container to mix everything.
Heat coconut oil. Add pandan leaves (I didn’t have this ingredient at that time), curry leaves, fenugreek seeds, chopped garlic, and onion, and temper them in oil until garlic start to turn light brown on the edges.
Add Thai eggplants and green chilies. Saute in oil for about a minute or until the green color of the eggplants become brighter. If you love the curry to be hot you can increase the number of green chilies you use. They also contribute to adding a green hue to the curry.
Add thin coconut milk, mix well and bring to simmer. Then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook until Thai eggplant pieces are tender.
Add thick coconut milk and mix everything only once (if you want more gravy, add more coconut milk, if you like a thick dry curry then add less). Cook the curry on low heat, uncovered, until the liquid reduces to your desired consistency. Do not keep stirring otherwise the flesh of the eggplants would dissolve in the curry and make it mush. Shake the pan from time to time to prevent the bottom from sticking and to mix everything.
When the curry has reduced to your desired level, turn off the heat, add a few drops of lime juice. This will thicken up the gravy a little bit and add some freshness to the creamy curry.
