From the recipe folder: Eggplant and Tomato Curry

This weekend I’m off visiting my parents again, and so don’t have time to go through one of my cook books and cook up something amazing.  And I’ve run out of recipes stored in my head, so this time I’m giving you my modification of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji/black onion seeds)
• 6 medium sized tomatoes chopped very finely (or 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, one tin drained of liquid)
• 2 tablespoons of coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 – 2 teaspoon red chilli powder (to taste)
• salt
• oil for frying

Method:

1. Prick the eggplants with a fork, then microwave on a plate for 15 minutes on high.  Set aside to cool.  You want to wait for about 10 minutes before you continue with the rest of the dish, eggplants are good at holding heat.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a heavy saucepan.  When hot, add the cumin seeds.  As they begin to sizzle, add fennel seeds and kalonji.  When they darken add the chopped tomato and ginger and garlic paste.  Stir for a minute.  Add coriander, turmeric and chilli powder. Season with salt.  Let the tomato mixture simmer.
3. Peel the skin of the eggplants away from the flesh.  To do this, cut the eggplants in half and scoop the insides out with a fork or spoon – if they are cool enough you can also use your hands.
4. Once you have all the eggplant flesh from the eggplants, chop it into smaller pieces and add to the tomato dish. Turn up the heat and stir until the sauce thickens (this won’t take long).
5. Serve hot with rice.