#1000Kitchens Recipe Drop: Sri Lankan Moju

Sarah Edwards, the founder of Copper and Cloves learned to make moju, a Sri Lankan aubergine dish, from her maternal aunt, Arlene. Sarah’s family is Burgher, a term that once referred to communities who remained in Sri Lanka when the Dutch ceded rule to the British in 1802. Over time, it came to describe Sri Lankans with mixed European ancestry, many of whom eventually left the island after the Sinhala Only Act of 1956.

This is a #1000Kitchens piece. Read the full story, here.

RECIPE FOR SARAH’S BRINJAL MOJU

Ingredients
1 + 1 tbsp cold pressed sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 handful curry leaves
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, finely minced
Salt, to taste
½ tsp jaggery
2.5 tbsp coconut vinegar
100 ml tamarind paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 large balloon brinjal

Method

First, prepare the brinjal.
Cut the balloon brinjals into 2 inch cubes.
Sprinkle the brinjal with 1-2 tsp salt and keep it in a sieve for half an hour. Let the liquid drain out through the sieve but also blot the cubes with kitchen roll at the end to remove the bitter liquid that came out. 
In a bowl, toss the cubes in a teaspoon of turmeric and ½ tsp chilli powder until coated.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil until sizzling, and then add the cubes in batches (don’t overcrowd the pan to avoid creating a soggy mess) — until browned on all sides, with a golden brown colour and collapsing texture in the middle. 
Remove and drain on kitchen roll to absorb any excess oil. 
To make the moju, toast 1 tsp mustard, fennel and jeera seeds in a pan until fragrant, then add 1 tbsp of oil and add a handful of curry leaves until they sizzle. 
Finely chop the onion, the garlic and the ginger.
Add the onion, and pan-fry with the spices until they are golden brown and translucent. Add in the garlic and ginger. Cook them for a really long time.
Add the brinjal back in and stir in with the onions and combine. 
Turn the heat up, and add in 100ml of tamarind paste and 1 tbsp of coconut vinegar/apple cider vinegar.
As you add to the hot pan, it should sizzle and be absorbed by the brinjal. 
Add a ½ tsp of jaggery and salt to taste. It should be tangy, almost like a pickle. 

Words by Anisha Oommen. Photos by Bhavya Pansari.
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