Aloo Baigan (Eggplant and Potato Curry)

The Eggplant Extravaganza continues among us Johnson's Backyard Garden CSA subscribers -- not that I'm complaining! But, it can become a challenge to handle all the eggplant we receive in ways that keep us interested in eating more eggplant.

For this recipe, I tried a version of Aloo Baigan (Eggplant and Potato Curry) that I found in my database, but my notes on its original source are cryptic, so I couldn't tell you where I originally found this one. I must have found it online, however, because multiple versions of it exist using the same language.

Aloo Baigan (Eggplant and Potato Curry)

1 1/2" piece ginger

2 green chiles, minced

1/4 c unsweetened coconut, shredded

1/2 tsp garam masala

4 T ghee (I just use butter)

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 T cumin seeds

1/8 tsp asafetida (opt)

6 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed

1 tsp turmeric

1 T coriander

1 small eggplant, in 1" cubes

1 tsp salt

3 T cilantro, chopped

1 T lemon juice

Begin by making your seasoning paste. Combine ginger, chiles and coconut in a blender with 1/3 c of water. Blend until smooth. Add garam masala and pulse. Set mixture aside.

Heat oil/butter/ghee. When hot, add mustard and cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Stir in asafetida (if using) and immediately add potatoes. Quickly cook for 5 minutes. Add spice mixture from blender.

Add turmeric, coriander, eggplant, salt and half of the fresh cilantro. Mix very gently so as not to break the vegetables.

Mix in lemon juice and remaining cilantro leaves and serve!

I'd be interested in other people's comments on this dish -- I found it tasty, but dry. I'd like another version that has a bit more sauce in it. Maybe next time, I will try it using Manjula's Kitchen's version. Manjula's Kitchen is my personal favorite online source for Indian recipes. I see that when making this recipe, she calls for the addition of tomatoes, which would certainly help add some moisture to the final product.

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