| This
wonderful dish is a fabulous example of rich, flavorful and
nutritious vegetarian Indian cuisine. India still today has sacred
cities where it is forbidden to bring eggs or dairy into. This
particular recipe is a well-known standard in Northern India and every
kitchen has its own variation. NOTE: Because of the diverse spices in
Indian cooking, it is by far more economical to locate an Indian grocer
nearby and buy your spices in bags (as opposed to expensive little jars
from the supermarket). Enjoy! Ingredients: 8 Tablespoons Oil 1 medium-sized eggplant cut into 1-inch cubes 1 1/2 Tablespoons peeled, minced fresh ginger root 2 hot green chilies (stemmed, seeded and finely minced) 1/2 Tablespoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon yellow asafetida powder (a/k/a hing powder. Optional if unavailable)* 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes 1 Tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon paprika 1/8 teaspoon each cayenne and black pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 cup water 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 1 pound fresh spinach (trimmed and coarsely chopped) 1/2 tablespoon of salt 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander or parsley 1 teaspoon garam masala* *these ingredients are most likely only available at an Indian grocer 1. Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick frying pan or wok over moderate heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the eggplant and fry, stirring frequently, until it is browned and offers no resistance to the point of a knife. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and raise the heat to moderately high. When it is hot but not smoking, add the ginger, chilies, and cumin seeds and fry until the seeds turn dark brown. Drop in the asafetida and seconds later the tomatoes. Stir well, then add the ground coriander, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper and turmeric. Cook until the tomatoes are reduced to a sauce that separates from the oil (up to 10 minutes depending on the intensity of your heat.) 3. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the eggplant, chickpeas, fresh spinach, salt and half of the fresh herb. Cover and gently simmer for about 30 minutes. If you are using frozen spinach, add during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The dish is now cooked, but you could cook it for another 1 1/2 hours if you want a sloppy joe consistency. Before serving, stir in the remaining fresh herb and the garam masala. The book this recipe came out of "Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi" is an amazing book filled with many more great recipes. Highly recommended! |