EGGPLANT w/INDIAN NORTH-SOUTH SAUCE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 1-inch cut, what you are aiming for are 1-inch chunks with as much skin on them as possible so they do not fall apart. Serve this hot with meat or vegetable curries, rice, and dal or serve it cold, as a salad, with cold meats-I love it with slices of ham.
• 4 4 4 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1/8 1/8 1/8 teaspoon ground asafetida
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon skinned urad dal or yellow split peas
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon whole nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1 1 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 2 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 1.5 1-inch 1-inch slim Japanese eggplants, cut crossways into 1-inch segments, or baby Italian eggplants cut in half lengthways and then crossways, into 1-inch segments
• 2 2 1.25 medium tomatoes, grated), about 1.25 cups
• 1 1 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 1 1 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4-1/2 1/4-1/2 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Pour the oil into a very large frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and the urad dal. As soon as the dal turns a shade darker, add the mustard, cumin, nigella, and fennel seeds, in that order. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the onions. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the garlic and the eggplant. Stir and fry for 45 seconds or until the onions are a bit browned. Add the grated tomatoes, stock, salt, and cayenne. Stir to mix and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook about 20 minutes or until the eggplants are tender, stirring now and then.