Spicy eggplant recipe from India
Serve this fabulous eggplant dish as a side or an appetiser. It’s lovely as a meat-free meal too, served with rice and yogurt.
Or serve with Indian flatbreads for a truly authentic touch.
Rating
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds eggplant, cut into wedges about 2 inches long
- 13 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1¼ cups vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the eggplant pieces in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes to drain
- Rinse the eggplant and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid
- Pat dry and set aside
- In a food processor, combine ⅓ of the tomatoes with the ginger and garlic
- Purée until smooth and set aside
- Heat ½ cup of the oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed frying pan
- When hot, add as many of the eggplant slices as will fit in one layer
- Cook over a medium heat until brown on both sides (about ten to twelve minutes) turning as needed
- Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl to drain
- Repeat with the remaining slices, adding the remaining oil as required
- Combine the fennel seeds with the kalonji and any oil remaining in the pan
- Cover and heat over a medium heat for about thirty seconds or until the seeds begin to pop
- Add the tomato mixture and all the remaining ingredients except the eggplant
- Cook for about six minutes until the sauce becomes thick and fairly smooth
- Carefully add the eggplant slices, keeping the pieces whole
- Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for about ten minutes
- Serve either warm or cold
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