Eggplants in a North-South Sauce

Recipe from Madhur Jaffrey

Adapted by Tara Parker-Pope

Eggplants in a North-South Sauce
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(183)
Comments
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The cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey calls this "one of our most beloved family dishes, very much in the Hyderabadi style, where North Indian and South Indian seasonings are combined." Over the years, she has simplified the recipe. "You can use the long, tender Japanese eggplants or the purple 'baby' Italian eggplants," she says, "or even the striated purple and white ones that are about the same size as the baby Italian ones. Once 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 hot with rice and dal, or cold as a salad. —Tara Parker-Pope

Featured in: Well's Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2010

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 4tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • ⅛teaspoon ground asafetida
  • ½teaspoon skinned urad dal or yellow split peas
  • ½teaspoon whole mustard seeds
  • ½teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • ½teaspoon whole nigella seeds (kalonji)
  • ½teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  • 1medium onion, chopped
  • 2cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1½pounds slim Japanese eggplants, cut crossways into 1-inch segments, or “baby” Italian eggplants cut in half lengthways and then crossways, into 1-inch segments
  • 2medium tomatoes, grated, about 1¼ cups
  • 1cup vegetable stock or water
  • 1teaspoon salt
  • ¼ to ½teaspoon cayenne pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

133 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 400 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. Step 2

    As soon as the dal turns a shade darker, add the mustard, cumin, nigella and fennel seeds, in that order.

  3. Step 3

    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 4 to 5 minutes or until the onions are a bit browned.

  4. Step 4

    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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
183 user ratings
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Comments

Mark

Dan B - I think the dal amount is correct. In some Indian recipes, dal is used more like a seasoning than a legume.

Daniella

Cooked exactly as described—fantastic. Served it with her Kashmiri Rice in Aromatic Broth. Madhur Jaffrey can do no wrong!

Michele

A delicious and easy eggplant dish. No salting required. I had two globe eggplants that were a bit past their prime and needed to be used immediately. I made sure to chop them so that each piece had some skin. I subbed some Pomi chopped tomatoes for the fresh but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Prep time was, at most, 10 minutes, plus 20 or 30 for cooking. Very nice.

Jenna M

We liked this dish! I recommend adding the mustard seeds first and the urad dal a little later as they tempers quickly. Also, I would not add asafoetida/hing until right before the onions as it burns quickly and gets bitter. I also doubled the amounts of mustard & cumin seeds. And an herb adds nice balance to the dish - we used methi/fenugreek leaves when reheating and it was subtly tasty.

Judith Bergson

This is delicious and easy.

Elizabeth Hudson Valley

I followed the recipe as written cooking it in an instant pot using the sauté function for most steps. After I added the stock/ tomato mixture, I stirred, put the lid on, and changed the setting to pressure cook for 3 minutes. Beautiful results which I served with seasoned lentils for a complete meal!

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