Easy Eggplant Curry
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Adapted from “Purnima Garg’s Eggplant and Tomato Curry” on Food52
serves 4-6

3 tablespoons peanut oil (canola also works)
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, sliced
4 Japanese (long and thin) eggplants, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 serrano chile, seeded (if you’re concerned about spice – I left my seeds in) and chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground coriander
14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan until it shimmers. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and heat about 30 seconds, until they pop.

Add the sliced onions, and stir occasionally over medium high heat until they are deep brown in spots (this will take a while, but makes a big difference to the taste and they won’t burn if you are careful).

Add 1 more tablespoon of oil. Add half the eggplant, and saute until the skin turns brown and the flesh just starts to soften. Remove onions and cooked eggplant to a heatsafe bowl. Add the final tablespoon of oil, the remaining eggplant, and saute until browned and slightly softened. Add the onions and the first batch of eggplant back to the pan.

Add the chile, coriander, garam masala, tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium low and cook, covered, until the eggplant is soft, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot with rice and plain yogurt or raita. Feel free to add other condiments, like spicy pickle or chutney.