Prema Chithi's Egg Plant Curry

I was never a fan of egg plant in my younger days.  But this recipe changed it all for me.  I used to live with my mother's younger sister aunty Prema when I graduated and got my first job.  She was one of my favourite aunties - she was full of new ideas, loved to travel and explore, was fun to be around with and used to tell us a lot of jokes.  She was also the one in the family that taught us all how to drape the perfect sari - she was the best at draping.  Every day when I finished work and came home there would be something different to try at dinner time.  Chithi used to try out a lot of new recipes and I was a more than willing guinea pig.


So when my lovely work colleague Dianne brought these beautiful home grown eggplants to share, I decided to make this recipe that got me to cultivate a love for the eggplant.  I have made these with the long lebanese eggplants - but you can make them with the big round ones too, they taste just as good.

Ingredients:

250-300 grams of eggplant
Oil for deep frying
1 tin (250 ml) lite coconut milk
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 onion, sliced and cut into half
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 table spoons oil
salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

Cut the egg plant into roundels and fry them.  If you are using the big round eggplant, slice thinly and deep fry.   Set aside to drain on paper towels.

In a saucepan, heat oil and add mustard seeds.  When it splutters, add curry leaves and onion slices.  Saute for a few minutes till the onions become transparent.  Add the sliced garlic and saute for a couple more minutes. Add the fried egg plant to this and mix it.

Now add the powders - chilli, coriander and turmeric and saute for a minute longer. Add half a cup of water and let the onions and egg plant cook.  This takes about 5 minutes.  The egg plant will continue to retain its shape.  Now add coconut milk and salt to taste and leave it on low flame till it boils and the oil starts to float on top.  I only add 1/2 to 3/4 of the tin of the coconut milk.  If you like it to be sweeter, add the whole tin of coconut milk.

Serve hot with rice.