Baby Eggplant with Tomato and Masala Spices

1 hour

Serves 4 - 6

Autumn

“I made this dish based on my overabundance of baby eggplants on my tree and as I love anything Indian and with eggplants how could I go wrong. I was still eating this dish a few days later and the flavours were even better. The Panch Phoran spice mix is a combination of fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, nigella seeds and fenugreek seeds and makes for a wonderful addition to any vegetable dish. You can buy this spice blend from selected stores that stock spices.”

Recipe supplied courtesy of Brisbane Produce Market chef ambassador Dominique Rizzo and her Putia Pure Food Kitchen.

Ingredients

For the Masala spice:

1 tblsp chili powder
2 tblsp ground coriander
1 tblsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
Good pinch of salt
1 tblsp panch phoran, crushed

Combine all the spices together and store in a jar.

For the main:

3 tblsp of olive oil
10 long baby eggplants
3 tblsp of masala spice mix
½ tsp extra of panch phoran
3 green chillies, cut in half
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
2 tins diced peeled tomatoes or 5 fresh tomatoes blended
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and cut into julienne

Directions

Cut the eggplants length ways in half, keeping them intact at the stalk and rub them with the Masala spice so that are nicely covered in side.
Heat the oil over a moderate heat in a large frypan that will hold all of the eggplant. Fry the eggplant in batches until golden on all sides, about 10 minutes all up or until they are almost cooked. Remove the eggplant and set aside.
Add into the pan the panch phoran, and cook until they start to pop, then add the chillies, diced onions and spices and cook for 7-8 minutes until the onions have softened.
Add in the tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes or until the oil separates from the sauce.
Add in the eggplants and cook for a further 20 minutes until the eggplants have cooked through.
You may need to add a little water to the sauce if it becomes too thick.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with the lemon juice and fresh coriander scattered over the top.