Ingredients
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1 kilogram small eggplants(aubergines; ideally the purple egg-shaped Indian ones), each cut into 3 chunks lengthways
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1 litre mustard oil
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280 grams curdsdrained yoghurt
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juice of one lemon
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2 teaspoons Salt
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Mustard-Chilli Paste
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12 large dried red chillies
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4 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
Directions
This is a delicious vegan Indian eggplant dish from one of the best Indian cookbooks our there – Tasting India: Heirloom Family Recipes by Christine Manfield. Tasting India is a travel and cooking book that recounts Christine’s journey in India. Christine shares some amazing recipes that she discovered in her Indian journey – many of them vegetarian or vegan recipes.
This eggplant in mustard gravy is called locally baigan saiso and is a traditional Utar Pradesh dish.
How To Make the Eggplant in Mustard Gravy (Baigan Saiso)
- To make the mustard-chilli paste, soak the dried chillies in warm water for 30 minutes to soften. Grind the mustard seeds using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Transfer to a blender, add the drained softened chillies together with ½ cup (125 ml) water and blend to a smooth thick paste.
- Soak the eggplant chunks in water for 10 minutes to remove any bitterness, then drain and pat dry with paper towel. Heat the oil in a kadhai or wok and, when hot, fry the eggplant in batches until softened but not coloured. Drain on paper towel. Tip all except 2 tablespoons of the oil out of the pan. Add the mustard-chilli paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes until fragrant and starting to colour. Stir in the curd, lemon juice and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Return the eggplant to the pan and stir to combine, then cook over a medium heat for another 10–15 minutes. Serve hot.
Check out more delicious Indian recipes by Christine Manfield. Photo credit: Anson Smart.
