Pecel terong is all about two distinct textures: eggplant with soft, almost creamy flesh and a spicy peanut sauce with a tangy note of tamarind. Charring the skin all around gives the vegetable extra depth.
Pecel terong combines grilled eggplant with pecel sauce, a Javanese peanut sauce that is also served with vegetables such as green beans and bean sprouts. Here, the eggplant isn’t part of a spicy sambal preparation: it’s roasted whole until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft. The sauce is thick, savory and nutty, with chili for warmth and tamarind for a tangy counterpoint. The eggplant remains the star, while the sauce adds flavor and substance.
Eggplant is available in the Netherlands year-round, though locally grown options are more common in summer. Choose eggplants that feel firm and have shiny skin. Medium-sized eggplants usually cook more evenly than very large ones. An oven with a broiler setting is handy, but you can also use a barbecue or gas flame: turn the vegetable regularly with tongs and stay close by, as the skin should char without the vegetable catching fire. The heat steams the flesh inside the skin, making it remarkably tender.
The peanut sauce gets its flavor from roasted peanuts, garlic, chili, kencur, palm sugar and tamarind. Kencur, also known as kentjoer, has a distinctive fresh, slightly peppery aroma and is available at Indonesian grocery stores; fresh ginger is a useful substitute, though it tastes different. Adjust the tamarind paste to taste, as its concentration varies by brand. Roast the peanuts yourself if they’re unroasted, or use unsalted roasted peanuts. Don’t blend the sauce completely smooth: a little texture makes a pleasant contrast with the soft eggplant.
Serve pecel terong as a small starter, warm or at room temperature, with the sauce on top or alongside. A spoonful of cooked rice makes it a more substantial dish; as part of a meal, it goes well with other vegetables and rice. It’s best to make the sauce thick first, then thin it gradually with hot water so it clings to the eggplant. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Gently reheat the eggplant and sauce separately, or serve them cold to warm.
Preheat the oven broiler to its highest setting and position a rack about 15 cm below the broiler element. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Wash and dry the eggplants. Prick them in a few places with a fork and place them on the baking sheet. Broil for 20–30 minutes, turning them regularly with tongs, until the skin is charred all over and the eggplants have collapsed.
Meanwhile, toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly colored. Shake the pan regularly, then let the peanuts cool.
In a food processor, grind the peanuts with the garlic, chili, kencur, gula jawa, tamarind paste and salt to make a coarse paste. With the processor running, add hot water a little at a time until the sauce is thick but spoonable.
Remove the eggplants from the oven and loosely cover them with foil. Let them stand for 10 minutes so the flesh can continue cooking in the steam.
Carefully peel off the charred skin and discard it. Place the eggplants on a serving platter, cut the flesh open lengthwise with a knife and spoon the peanut sauce over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.