Here’s a dish that works fab for veggie days or for bhog/puja or simply to use up aubergines!
It’s a yogurt based dish that can be cooked with both poppyseeds or cashew paste.
A very popular West Bengal offering.
Today’s dish is using cashew paste for thickening and a rich creaminess through the sauce.
It also uses the traditional mustard oil which has distinctive pungent smoky flavour carried through.
Subtle spices and ginger add the key undertones. A great way to showcase the humble aubergine.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large or 2 med aubergines, sliced finger width
Sprinkle and rub aubergine slices with:
1tsp salt,
1 tsp sugar,
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
In bowl mix half cup full fat yogurt and 1/4 cup water. Add salt, turmeric, chilli powder, sugar and coriander mix well.
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp coriander powder
Ingredients for the curry:
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp paanch puran
2 dried chillies
1/2 tsp of hing
1 inch grated ginger
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
Add 6/7 cashews made into paste.
3 fresh slit chillies
Pinch of cinnamon powder
You will need 1 largish frying pan for frying.
1 smaller pan for cooking masala.
METHOD:
Heat mustard oil and fry the aubergine slices, you want them golden brown, then set aside.
In same or separate pan add mustard oil.
When hot add dried chillies and panch puran.
When its fragrant add pinch of Asafoetida, ginger and Kashmiri chilli powder, stir for few seconds followed swiftly with cashew paste.
Give this good stir, add splash of water if required. When oil is separating add spiced yogurt.
Stir well, add sliced green chillies and cook till the oil splits and comes to surface and sauce dries up alot. This cooks out the raw yogurt taste and its key to a balanced dish. When you have oil splitting, add some more water, bring to simmer.
Add aubergine slices. Cook gently till sauce reduces and adhering to slices and oil splits and floats.
Garnish with pinch of cinnamon powder.
Serve with plain boiled rice.
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