Wambatu Moju
Wambatu moju is the pickle that makes a Sri Lankan rice and curry plate sing, eggplant in a sharp, dark, sweet-sour paste of mustard and vinegar. The classic recipe deep fries the eggplant and sweetens the sauce with jaggery. Roasting the batons hot and dry gets the same browned, silky collapse without the oil, and blended dates carry the sweetness against the vinegar's sour and the mustard's bite. That three-cornered balance is loud enough that salt has nothing to add.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Eggplant, large, cut into 3-inch batons
- 1 whole Red onions, sliced
- 2 wholes Indian green chile, slit lengthwise
- 3 cloves Garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp Brown mustard seed
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne
- 3 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 3 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, ground
Method
- Toss the eggplant batons with the turmeric and roast on a lined tray at 450 F (230 C), turning once, until deeply browned and collapsed, about 25 minutes. Eggplant is a sponge, which is why moju usually deep fries it; roasting it dry and hot browns the outside and drives off the water instead of soaking in oil.
- Grind the mustard seeds to a rough powder, then blend them with the pitted dates and vinegar into a smooth, loose paste. This is the heart of a moju: mustard for pungency, vinegar for sour, and dates for the sweetness that jaggery normally brings, now with its fiber intact.
- Sweat the sliced onion, garlic, and slit chiles in a pan with a few tablespoons of water over medium heat until the onion is soft and just starting to color, about 8 minutes.
- Add the roasted eggplant and the mustard-date-vinegar paste and cook together for 3 to 4 minutes, until the paste coats everything and thickens. Stir gently so the soft eggplant holds its shape.
- Finish with the ground pepper and cool. A moju is meant to taste sharp, sweet, and hot all at once, which is exactly why it needs no salt. It sharpens as it sits, so make it a few hours ahead and keep it cold. It holds for a week and belongs on the plate next to rice and a milder curry.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 75 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
