Smoked Eggplant Sambol (sutta kathirikai sambol)

Often we tend to oversee simple forms of elements that bring us joy and happiness. It applies to our relationships with people and food. Life is so much joyous when we learn to appreciate simple deeds and pleasures. The satisfaction of a simple, healthy, home cooked food goes a long way. I am a sucker for simple recipes that require less ingredients and processing time. Srilankan food in general is all about celebrating simple food and most recipes sing laurels to the key ingredients. This Smoked eggplant sambol is a beautiful creamy salad that has a hint of the smoked flavor and a few other ingredients that uplifts the flavor of eggplant without meddling much with its original taste. This works well as an eggplant salsa with chips or bread sticks. We serve it with bread or rotis or just as a side with any main course. This is a keto, diet-friendly, no-oil, vegan recipe. Pheww!

Creamy salad made with smoked eggplant and finished with a dash of tang!

Ingredients

• Eggplant/Brinjal – 4 medium sized

• Onion – 1 large, finely chopped

• Green Chillies – 1, finely chopped

• Lemon – juice from 1 lemon

• Salt – to taste

Method

1. Wash and pat dry the eggplants on a kitchen towel.

2. Place them on open flame (gastop, bbq, oven, grill, fireplace anything works well) and cook on all sides till the skin turns char black and small blisters start to form.

3. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. You’ll observe that more cracks or blisters form as they cool.

4. Peel the black skin completely once cooled.

5. Mash using a fork or hands.

6. Add salt, lemon juice, finely chopped onions and green chillies and mix well with hands.

7. Serve with rotis, bread or as an accompaniment for any main course.

*Note

• Large eggplants work well too. Accordingly, modify the quantity of eggplants used.

• You can also add grated carrots, chopped lettuce, crispy fried curry leaves to the salad.