Use small, young eggplants for this recipe. Long and skinny or baseball-sized varieties work best and don’t need to be peeled. This serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
- 1 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon powdered turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, with liquid
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Place in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and toss to cover. Let stand over a bowl for at least one hour (or overnight in the fridge) to release liquid. Drain. Right before using, pat dry with towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a large saute pan. When hot, add mustard seeds (they will pop), then add onions and ginger. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions and ginger are brown. Add cayenne, turmeric and cumin and cook for a few minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fry eggplant: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Add eggplant in a single layer and saute over medium heat, turning until golden brown and crisp. You may need to do this in two batches. Add eggplant to sauce and mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat until eggplant is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala and lemon juice and taste for salt. Top with cilantro and serve with rice.
