Brinjal curry, known in Sinhala as wambatu curry after wambatu (වම්බටු), the word for aubergine or eggplant, is one of the most popular vegetable curries in Sri Lankan homes. The brinjal is cut into strips, rubbed with turmeric and salt and fried until golden, then folded into a gravy of onion, curry leaves, spices and coconut milk sharpened with a little vinegar and sugar. Frying first is what sets it apart: the pieces keep their shape and turn silky rather than watery.
It is a regular part of rice and curry at lunch, and because it holds well it is often cooked for family gatherings and celebrations. The same fried brinjal, dressed with more vinegar, mustard and sugar instead of coconut milk, becomes wambatu moju, the sweet-sour relish covered on our wambatu moju recipe page.
How to make Sri Lankan brinjal curry
- Serves 4
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 35 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
For the fried brinjal
- 500 g brinjals (aubergines), preferably the long, slim kind, cut into 5 cm strips or wedges
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- About 500 ml coconut or vegetable oil, for frying
For the curry
- 1 tbsp oil (from frying)
- 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2.5 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5 cm piece pandan (rampe) leaf
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cm piece ginger, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
- 1 tsp Sri Lankan curry powder, roasted or unroasted
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 200 ml coconut milk
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Season the brinjal. Toss the brinjal strips with the turmeric and salt and leave for 10 minutes. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Fry. Heat about 3 cm of oil in a wok or deep pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the brinjal in batches for 4 to 5 minutes each, turning, until golden brown on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Temper. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the oil and set the pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds; when they pop, add the fenugreek, cinnamon, curry leaves and pandan and fry for 30 seconds.
- Soften the aromatics. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the spices. Stir in the curry powder and chilli powder for 30 seconds, then add the vinegar, sugar and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the brinjal. Slide in the fried brinjal and simmer on a low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan rather than stirring so the pieces stay whole, until the gravy has reduced and coats them.
- Season and rest. Taste and adjust the salt, vinegar or sugar, then take off the heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Why is the brinjal fried first?
Raw brinjal soaks up liquid and collapses when simmered. Frying seals the pieces, browns them and drives off water, so they stay intact in the gravy and carry a toasted flavour. Keep the oil hot enough that a piece sizzles at once, and do not crowd the pan, or the brinjal steams and turns greasy. If you prefer to use less oil, you can shallow-fry or roast the pieces, although they will be softer.
Which brinjals should you use?
Sri Lankan brinjals are mostly small and slim, with purple skin that stays attractive after frying. Long, thin Asian aubergines are the closest match outside Sri Lanka. Large globe aubergines work too, but cut them into thicker wedges so they do not fall apart.
What gives it its flavour?
Curry leaves, rampe, mustard seeds and cinnamon fried in oil give the base aroma, and a little vinegar and sugar give the gentle sweet-and-sour finish that suits brinjal so well. Either kind of curry powder works: roasted gives a darker, deeper curry, unroasted a lighter one. Some cooks add a pinch of black pepper or a spoonful of Maldive fish flakes, which makes it no longer vegetarian.
What do you serve it with?
Serve brinjal curry with rice, dhal curry, a meat or fish curry such as chicken curry and a sambol, with a little lunu dehi (salted lime pickle) on the side. It also goes well with string hoppers, pittu or roti, and alongside a mild cashew curry at celebrations. You will find it on rice and curry menus all over the island, from Colombo to hill-country towns such as Ella.
How do you store it?
Cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days; the flavour deepens overnight. Reheat gently over a low heat with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended, as the fried brinjal turns mushy when thawed.
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