Brinjal curry

Brinjal/eggplant/aubergine, call it what you will, it makes a fine main ingredient in a curry. Here’s how I do it.

Ingredients

2 or 3 Tbsp cooking oil

4 medium brinjals

1 large onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 piece ginger, about 3 cm, peeled and sliced thinly

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground fennel

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground mustard seeds

2 tsp hot masala of your choice (I used our favourite hot Durban masala mix)

80 ml tomato paste

1 x 400 g chopped tomatoes

1 can cold water (use the tomato can)

Salt to taste (be generous, curry needs it)

Small handful dried curry leaves, crushed in your hand

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Slice brinjals lengthwise and place in a colander. Salt them in layers and leave aside for 30 minutes, then rinse in cold water and set aside.

Saute onion, garlic and sliced ginger in a little cooking oil until softened and lightly golden. Add the spices, bay leaves, stir, and then stir in the tomato paste and braise it for two or three minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes and a can of water, salt generously.

Chop brinjal into smaller pieces and stir into the sauce.

Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for about half an hour, until the brinjals are tender.

Stir in crumbled dried curry leaves, or fresh if you have any.

Serve with aloo jeera (recipe below) and chopped coriander leaves. Alternatively, the curry will go well with garlic naan.

Aloo Jeera

It means cumin potatoes, is one of those side dishes you’ll find on most Indian restaurant menus, and is an Indian staple well worth having in your repertoire. 

Ingredients

4 or 5 medium potatoes

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds

1 Tbsp crushed coriander seeds

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp paprika

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves

Method

Mix the dry spices (but not the salt) in a bowl and keep aside.

Peel the potatoes, then steam or boil them until almost cooked, but not quite, and leave to cool (there’s a little more cooking to come in the pan). Then cube them carefully, heat oil in a large frying pan, and start to simmer them on a moderate heat.

Sprinkle the dry spices all over and stir gently to avoid the potatoes breaking up. If it looks too dry, add a little more oil. Salt well, to taste, as potatoes can take salt. Cook only for a few minutes, until the potatoes are fully tender.

Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and serve with you know what. DM/TGIFood

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