This curried eggplant with fried dried fish and boiled eggs is a spicy curry that is sure to whet your appetite. Very delicious and appetizing, served with rice, bread, or roti.
Yield: 4 servings Prep time: 5 min.; cook time: 15 min
Eggplants, whether round or oval, are a true representation of their namesake. It is believed that Europeans decided to give the eggplant its name in the eighteenth century because the kind of eggplant that they were familiar with at the time had fruits that resembled geese eggs in terms of their size, shape, and color. The majority of the time, these eggplants are fried or used in curries in South Africa, where they are referred to as brinjals or Indian eggplants.
The skin of Indian eggplants is more abrasive, and the texture makes them more solid. They take on a creamy, sweet, and soft texture after being cooked. Aside from that, they keep their form if they are not overdone. The range of their colors extends from a very light ivory white to various hues of green to the most intense purple. Among the varieties, the deep purple variant is the most prevalent.
Every single one of the local green vegetable stores that I go to always has a supply of these eggplants that are spherical and dark purple in color. I am unable to refrain from carrying a couple of them back with me whenever I pay them a visit. Because of their “meaty” texture, these eggplants are able to stand on their own as a vegan or vegetarian entrée. On the other hand, they are also a fantastic complement to seafood and meat dishes.
Ingredients
-
Vegetable oil or oils of your choice
-
1 Large onion (sliced)
-
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds (optional)
-
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds (optional)
-
4 Green chili (finely sliced)
- 1 Tbsp. Kashmiri red curry chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Eggplant or brinjal (cut into 2-inch cubes or sliced lengthwise and soaked in some salted water)
- salt to taste
Method
-
Heat a flat pan or pot on medium heat and add the oil.
-
Add dried fish and fry on low heat on both sides.
-
Add the onions and curry leaves and fry until translucent and soft, 5-7 minutes.
-
Add the green chili and fry for about a minute.
-
Add the kashmiri red powder and turmeric powder and cook for about a minute on low heat, mixing frequently and being careful not to burn.
-
Drain the water from the sliced brinjals and place the brinjals in the pot.
-
Add 1/2 cup water to the curry and cook on low heat.
- Allow the brinjals to cook partially covered for 8 minutes, and carefully flip the brinjals.
- Continue to cook partially covered until cooked through and tender but not mushy. The shape should still hold for 5 minutes.
- Now add the fried, dried fish to the curry and place the boiled eggs. Lastly, drizzle with some freshly chopped coriander.
-
Switch off and cover until ready to serve. Serve hot with rice or roti. It can also be served with a side of dhal.
How it tastes in your mouth
This is not something that is for those who are easily frightened; it is not as gentle and creamy as our butter chicken. This is not a generic flavor like the ones you find in recipes that are produced with a lot of just “curry powder” and maybe some garam masala; rather, it is a very powerful true Indian curry flavor.It is the curry spices that provide the most prominent flavor here.
Additionally, another distinguishing feature of this curry is that it does not contain any tomato sauce. One delicious pot is worth mentioning. A separate sauce is unnecessary.
Visit my channel for the recipe tutorial “Cooking with Shams.”
Enjoy, and have a wonderful day!