Terong Balado (Indonesian Spicy Tomato Eggplant Bake)

About This Recipe

Terong balado combines two Indonesian kitchen staples: crisp-fried eggplant and balado, the classic red chili-tomato sambal used across countless Padang and West Sumatran dishes. Here the fried eggplant is baked briefly in the sambal so it absorbs the sauce fully, turning soft, glossy, and deeply flavored rather than just coated on the surface. The technique starts with frying the eggplant in hot oil until the outside is lightly browned and the flesh has collapsed slightly -- this step is what allows the vegetable to soak up the sambal rather than staying watery and bland. The balado itself is a blended paste of tomato, red chilies, shallots, and garlic, fried down until it thickens into a rich, brick-red sauce before the eggplant is folded in and briefly baked or simmered to finish. This is a staple side dish at Indonesian rice-table meals, sitting alongside other balado vegetables and proteins. It's meant to be spicy and rich, cutting through plain rice, and tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2Chinese eggplants(cut into batons)
• 4 tbspoil(for frying)
• 4tomatoes(chopped)
• 6red chilies(seeds removed for less heat)
• 4shallots
• 3 clovesgarlic
• 1 tbsppalm sugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 1lime leaf(optional)
• 2 tbspoil(for the sambal)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the eggplant

   Heat oil in a pan and fry eggplant batons in batches until softened and lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven

   Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).

3. 3

   Blend the sambal base

   Blend tomatoes, chilies, shallots, and garlic into a coarse paste.

4. 4

   Cook the sambal

   Heat oil and fry the paste with the lime leaf over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened and deep red, about 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Season and combine

   Stir in palm sugar and salt, then fold in the fried eggplant until well coated.

6. 6

   Bake

   Transfer to a baking dish and bake 10-12 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and slightly reduced, then serve with rice.

Variations

• •

  Add fried tempeh or hard-boiled eggs alongside the eggplant for a fuller dish.

• •

  Reduce chilies by half for a milder version, or add bird's eye chilies for more heat.

• •

  Skip the baking step and simply simmer the eggplant in the sambal on the stovetop, which works just as well.

Storage

Keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and, like many sambal dishes, often tastes better the next day. Reheat gently on the stove or in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions