It’s quite a spicy dish, but remember—you can always reduce the amount of cayenne. To create a complete North Indian vegetarian meal, serve with Chapati and Punjabi Red Beans.
Serves 4
- 1 large Italian eggplant (about 1 pound)
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-inch piece)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Cut the eggplant into ½-inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a large wok over medium heat and sauté the onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne, and sauté for another 2 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze by adding a few tablespoons of water and using a spatula to loosen the browned bits.
Add the eggplant, tomatoes, salt, and sugar, and toss until the eggplant is well coated with the onion-spice mixture.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggplant is soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.