Desi Flavours: Afghani Eggplant

"You should always eat your vegetables, because it's the right thing to do." How frequently do we tell ourselves this? The recipe that i have chosen to share today consists of a very few ingredients and is delicious. It's not the most healthiest of choices, but we all over indulge sometimes don't we? It starts with deep frying round slices of eggplant and later they are soaked in yogurt, seasoned with turmeric cooked in oil. The yogurt balances the bitterness of the eggplant and a little seasoning gives a catchy aroma to the dish. You can eat it just as it is or you could have a freshly baked chapatti with it.

Here's the detailed recipe:

Ingredients:

Egg Plant- Medium sized- 4-5

Salt- to taste

Red Pepper- to taste

Oil- for frying

Yogurt- 2 cups 

Tomatoes-4 to 5, finely chopped

Coriander- half a bunch, finely chopped

Turmeric- 1 tsp

Red pepper flakes- to taste

Method:

Peel and slice the eggplant into round slices. Put them in a large bowl and add some salt and red pepper. Set aside for a while (approx half an hour). Then drain the water and fry then till they turn brown. Drain off the excess oil and set aside. 

Now whisk the yogurt until you get a smooth and creamy texture. Add some salt and pepper to it so its not totally bland. Pour the yogurt in a dish and dip the fried slices of eggplant into the yogurt. 

Now prepare the tomato sauce. Simply put the chopped tomatoes in a pan, add some water and red pepper flakes and cover it till the tomatoes are done. Uncover the tomatoes and heat till the water it drained and you get a chunky sort of paste. Season it with a pinch of salt and pour over the yogurt and eggplant. Finally top the dish with a bit of fresh coriander. 

Heat some oil or butter, add half a teaspoon of turmeric in it and cook it till it changes color. Make sure not to let it burn otherwise it will taste bitter. Pour a tiny bit of this on the eggplant before eating.