Indian spiced roasted eggplant
Indian spiced roasted eggplant
This recipe is inspired by a fantastic dish I recently had at the Himalayan Kitchen in Quesnel, British Columbia. At the restaurant you could pick your heat level. I kept my recipe pretty mild, but don’t worry, it is not short on flavour. It can be served warm as a side dish or dip. I like it with warm naan. Add chickpeas if you want to make it a meal.
Yields: 2 ½ cups
Ingredients
1 large eggplant – roasted
1 teaspoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup onion - diced
1 tablespoon garlic – minced
½ cup vegetable broth
2 cups fresh tomatoes – rough chop
½ tablespoon Garam masala
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon pink salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon pepper flakes (add more if you like heat)
Steps
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Celsius.
Pierce eggplant with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Bake until the eggplant is soft to the touch and skin is crinkled. Cooking time varies on the shape of the eggplant, but it should take about 30 minutes.
While it is baking, assemble the other ingredients.
Melt coconut oil in a hot pan, add cumin seeds. Once they are browned, turn down the heat to medium. Add the onions, garlic and a couple of tablespoons of broth. Continue to add the broth as it evaporates. Cook until the onions are soft and almost creamy. Add remaining spices. Cook a few minutes to unlock the flavours.
Add the tomatoes. Cook until softened.
When the eggplant is cooked, carefully remove the skin and add the flesh to the pan. Cook a few more minutes to bring all the flavours together.
Taste – adjust seasoning if needed.
