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Recipe Detail Page
Curried Eggplant Gratin
Holiday 2008
This recipe is adapted from the Taj hotel restaurant in Bombay. The secret is cooking the onions slowly for a sweet, rich flavour. This is not a hot curry; it has a gentle touch. Using butter gives it a rich flavour but you could substitute vegetable oil. Serve as a side dish with grilled lamb, fish or chicken or as a vegetarian main course with rice. If Asian eggplant is not available, use 1 large regular eggplant in place of the 4 Asian eggplants.
Serves 8
¼ cup (50 mL) butter
2 cups (500 mL) chopped onion
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh ginger root
1 dried red chili, chopped (or ¼ tsp/1 mL cayenne)
1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin seeds
4 Asian eggplants, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1-cm) rounds
¾ cup (175 mL) water
1½ cups (375 mL) canned tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp (25 mL) finely chopped fresh coriander
1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, ginger, chili and cumin seeds. Sauté until onion softens and begins to colour, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in eggplant, turn heat to low, cover pan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until eggplant is slightly brown. Add ½ cup (125 mL) water, cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until eggplant is nearly tender. Add tomatoes, remaining ¼ cup (50 mL) water and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, covered, until eggplant has fallen apart, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.
Serves 8
