Madhur Jaffrey's Best Aubergines Ever

Well, it's taken a long time to write this one up. Blame the brain-splatting toll of going back to work to a new job, and getting the new two kids, two jobs, four grandparents routine under way. But here I am, watching the Olympic athletics, talking to no-one as usual, and ready to roll my sleeves up.

I make nearly all my Indian mainstays from this fab blog, which fulfils all my requirements for speed, deliciousness, authenticity, and makeability. When you know you need a meat free night, nothing is better than a saag paneer, or a dal (the dirtier the tarka the better in my opinion - ghee, asfeotida, curry leaves, and chilli!). And the best meal I've ever made for friends was probably a seafood biryani with aubergine raita.  

So I've been waiting to pinch this book for ages - I know Madhur Jaffrey can make good on a title that ambitious. It covers every part of the sub-continent and the diaspora of curry-loving nations, including South Africa, Japan, Burma, and Thailand. I chose a vegetarian recipe because, much as I love meat, I realise that I find it much more relaxing and rewarding to cook with vegetables, pulses etc. Plus, check out the name - I make a lot of damn fine aubergine dishes, so how could I not try this?

It's described by Madhur as an Afghanistan & USA (i.e. she crafted it in her kitchen) hybrid, and its four separate components reflect its composite heritage. There are a lot of ingredients, and it is a bit of work, but I made it on a very nothingy Sunday evening, and it was only about 30 minutes of pottering (I didn't bother salting the aubergines and soaking them for '3-10 hours' - I never do).

Serves 2 (with leftovers)

2 aubergines sliced lengthways about 3-5 cm thick. That's what MJ recommends - I didn't read it properly and sliced them into rounds, quite thin. 

Lots of veg oil for frying. 

For the tomato-chickpea sauce

Oil

2 dried red chillies

1 tsp whole brown mustard seeds

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

10 curry leaves (from the freezer)

1 tin of chickpeas

Salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground tumeric

For the yoghurt sauce

Enough yoghurt to serve 2
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin seeds which you've 'roasted' in a dry frying pan

For the tamarind chutney

2 tbsp thick tamarind paste

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin seeds as above

Fry the aubergine slices in a large frying pan with lots of oil unti, they are deep brown on both sides. Drain them on kitchen paper.

Make the tomato sauce by frying the mustard seeds and chillies in hot oil until the seeds are popping. 

Add the garlic, and then quickly the tomatoes, curry leaves, chickpeas, and all the spices and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let it cook gently for 20 minutes. 

Make the yoghurt sauce by just whisking some air into the yog with a fork, and then stir through the over ingredients. 

Make the chutney by combining the ingredients. I know, I know...I am an amazing cook. 

When you're ready, lay the aubergine on a baking sheet and heat in the oven at 160 degrees for 15 minutes. Put the slices on a large plate in a single layer (or, you know, just in the bottom of two bowls). Dollop as much of the tomato sauce on top as you like, then the yoghurt sauce, and then the chutney. 

The best aubergines ever? Maybe not when there's parmigiana melenzane in the world, but I'm not going to split hairs.