The recipe for this curry is a modified Charmain Solomon recipe. Charmain Solomon’s The Complete Asian Cookbook is my cooking “bible”. It sits permanently, proudly displayed, on my kitchen counter. Wambatu karawadu curry, as she titles it, happens to be one of may favorite recipes, and I have tweaked it slightly to match my taste buds.

One of the items on my list of ingredients to bring back from home is dried fish. Not that the Philippines does not produce dried fish, I just find it difficult to get the same quality produced in Sri Lanka, which have more “meat” to it.

Ingredients

• 100g salted/dry fish
• 3 long eggplants (about 300g)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 4-5 green chilies
• 5 capsicums (banana peppers) (optional)
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 8 cloves garlic pealed and left whole
• 1 spring curry leaf
• 2 pieces 3″ pandan leaf
• oil for frying
• 3 tbsp roasted curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 stick cinnamon (about 2″)
• 1/2 cup coconut cream + 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp vinigar
• 1 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
• salt to taste

Method

Wash the dryfish well in hot water to remove excess salt. drain and cut into bite sized pieces. Cut the eggplant into largish pieces, rub in salt and turmeric and set aside till liquid comes out (about 20-30mins). Cut the capsicums into large pieces; discard seeds and pith. Slit green chilies.

Heat oil. squeeze out liquid from eggplant and fry till golden in colour. Remove from oil and set aside. Continue frying the garlic, green chilies, capsicums, and dried fish separately.

Add the coconut cream, water, whole and powdered spices, tamarind paste, vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt into a pan, bring to a boil while stirring. Add the fried ingredients. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently till a thick consistency is achieved. Add Sugar. Adjust flavour to taste, adding salt, sugar, or souring agent as needed.