50 WOMEN GAME CHANGERS #7 Madhur Jaffrey: The Best Eggplant Ever

The Best Eggplant Ever

(pg 166 - 167)

Ingredients:

For preparing the eggplant

• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 large eggplants 
• Peanut oil for deep frying 

For the Tomato-Chickpea Sauce 

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 whole hot dried, red chilies
• 1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seads
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 28-ounce can good-quality whole tomatoes, finely chopped, with their liquid 
• 10 fresh basil leaves 
• 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 

For the Yogurt Sauce 

• 10 tablespoons plain yogurt 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds 

For the Tamarind Chutney

• 2 tablespoons thick tamarind paste 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds 

Directions:

To prepare the eggplants:

• Pour 3 quarts of water into a large pan
• Add the salt and stir well
• Trim the eggplants, slicing off the very top and bottom.

• Peel them

• Cut them, crosswise, into about five slices each
• Put the slices into the salty water as you cut them.
• The slices will float 

• Up turn a plate on top of the slices and balance a weight on top of the plate 
• Set aside for 3 to 10 hours 
• Remove the slices from the water and pat them dry 
• Pour enough oil into a large pan to come to a depth of 3/4 inches
• Set over medium heat 
• Allow time for the oil to get very hot.
• Put in as many eggplant slices as the pan will hold in a single layer.

• Fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until reddish-gold
• Remove to a large plate or tray lined with a double thickness of paper towels
• Fry all the eggplant slices this way, adding more oil, if needed, and using as many plates or trays as you see fit. 

• The eggplants may now be set aside for 3 to 4 hours if desired.

To make the Tomato-Chickpea sauce:

• Pour 3 tablespoons of oil into a large, lidded pan.
• Set the pan over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is very hot, put in the chilies and mustard seeds 
• As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, a matter of seconds, add the garlic.
• Stir quickly once, then put in the tomatoes, basil leaves chickpeas, salt,cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
• Stir and bring to a simmer
• Cover and reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 20 minutes
• Remove the chilies before serving

To make the Yogurt Sauce:

• Put the yogurt in a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork or small whisk until smooth
• Stir in the salt and cumin
• Cover and refrigerate if not using within 2 hours. 

To make the Tamarind Chutney:

• Combine the tamarind paste, sugar, salt, and cumin in a small cup
• Mix well
• Cover and refrigerate if not using within 2 hours 

To prepare the dish:

• When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 325 degrees
• Spread out the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking tray and dust very lightly with salt and black pepper 
• Place in the oven and heat through, about 15 minutes 
• Heat the Chickpea sauce 
• Arrange the eggplant slices on a very large platter in a single layer 
• Pour a small ladleful of the tomato chickpea sauce on top of each slice.
• Center 2 teaspoons of the yogurt sauce on top of the tomato-chickpea sauce and then put a generous dot of the tamarind chutney on top of the yogurt 

What we thought:

Dianna:  The  best eggplant ever is not how I would describe this.  It was good and very filling, however the tamarind chutney was sour.  If I made this again not chutney.

Alex: "I don't like eggplants, they are slimy.  The tomato-chickpea sauce was good."