Sudanese Eggplant Salad

A Sudanese classic, this eggplant salad with peanut butter also known as Aswad salata is vegan, delicious and easy to follow. Made with pan – fried eggplant, tomatoes, lime juice, peanut butter, bell pepper, onion, garlic and cumin and finished off with cilantro.

The easy to follow and delicious eggplant salad with a great hint of cumin and a little crunch tastes spicy, nutty and slightly sweet. Made with eggplants that are fried in peanut oil before cooking them in a sauce that’s made with fried onion, garlic, pepper, tomatoes, lime juice and peanut butter.

The salad tastes great served with breads such as Sudanese flatbread (Kisra), naan, pide, focaccia or even served over rice.

What you’ll need to make Sudanese eggplant salad

• 400 g (14.1 oz) canned diced tomatoes
• 90 g (3.2 oz) peanut butter, crunchy
• 200 g (7.1 oz) bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 2 eggplants, 300 g (10.6 oz) each
• 100 ml (about ½ cup) water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• chili to taste
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• freshly squeezed lime juice of half a lime

You’ll also need

• oil for browning eggplants. I’ve use about 100 ml (about 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) peanut oil, but sesame oil or vegetable oil could also be used. )
• cilantro for garnish

How to make eggplant with peanut butter and tomato sauce

Begin by washing, drying and cutting eggplant into 1/2 cm (0.2 inches) thick slices. Line a large cutting board with paper towels.

Arrange eggplant slices on the paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Cover with paper towels and let sit for 15 minutes. In this way the bitter taste will be drawn out of the eggplant.

In the meantime peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Wash the bell peppers, remove the core and cut into slices as well.

After 15 minutes heat 1 tablespoon of the oil for frying eggplants in a large pan over high heat. Pat dry eggplant slices and arrange them in the pan.

Drizzle the slices with another tablespoon oil and brown them. Transfer the Repeat the process until you’ve used up all the eggplant slices.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook until nicely soft. This takes about 5 minutes.

Add the eggplant that you’ve browned earlier and combine well. Stir in canned diced tomatoes with their juices and half of the water.

Stir in salt, cumin, paprika and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes, uncovered.

In the meantime add the remaining water and the freshly squeezed lime juice to the bowl with peanut butter and mix well until smooth.

Add the peanut butter mixture to the pot/pan, combine well and and let cook for 5 more minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and enjoy.

What to serve with Sudanese aubergine salad

This  aubergine salad tastes great served with breads such as Sudanese flatbread (Kisra), naan, pide, focaccia or even served over rice.

Did you make this Sudanese eggplant sauce recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.