Aubergine with poppy seeds
This simple aubergine recipe from Asma Khan’s Monsoon is a quick, vegan weeknight dish. Poppy seeds are a great addition to Indian recipes, giving the gravies some texture and helping to thicken sauces. In India white poppy seeds, rather than the blue-black ones popular in Europe, are generally used. Credit: Monsoon by Asma Khan (DK £26), Photography © Patricia Niven.
Asma says 'aubergine is called brinjal in India, or baingan in Hindi, and is often referred to as a “poor man’s crop”, as it was grown in India by farmers with small land holdings. This is a vegetable that was native to the Indian subcontinent and was used extensively throughout the country. The small individual farming tradition of brinjals has often meant a variety of different shapes and sizes. This recipe is a combination of poppy seed and aubergine – an uncommon partnering which nevertheless works well.'
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 750g of aubergine, unpeeled, cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) cubes. If using baby aubergines, remove the stalk and cut them in half
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp of white poppy seeds, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained
- 3 green chillies, chopped
- 4 tbsp of vegetable oil, or as needed
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 240ml of water
Method
Place the aubergine cubes on a plate and sprinkle with the chilli powder and ground turmeric and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt. Rub well to ensure all the pieces are covered and set aside for 20 minutes. (Adding salt serves 2 functions: it adds umami and reduces moisture, which in turn reduces the amount of oil the aubergine will absorb when frying. Avoid keeping the marinated aubergine in a bowl as the moisture draining out from the top layer will seep into the pieces below it.)
- 750g of aubergine, unpeeled, cut into 4-cm (11/2-in) cubes. If using baby aubergines, remove the stalk and cut them in half
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
Grind the soaked poppy seeds and chopped chillies to a paste in a pestle and mortar. Set aside
- 1 1/2 tbsp of white poppy seeds, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained
- 3 green chillies, chopped
Squeeze the aubergine pieces gently to remove excess water and discard any liquid that has collected on the plate
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based pan that has a lid over a medium heat until shimmering. Fry the aubergine cubes, sealing each piece until tinged with brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the aubergine pieces and spread on kitchen paper
- 4 tbsp of vegetable oil, or as needed
Ideally, you should have 11/2–2 tablespoons of oil left in the pan – add more if not
Reheat to medium-high, add the dried red chillies and bay leaf followed by the cumin and nigella seeds. Stir fry for 30 seconds, add the minced garlic and stir fry for a few seconds, then add the chopped tomatoes
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
Use the liquid from the tomatoes to deglaze the pan and release any garlic pieces that may have got stuck to the bottom. Add the poppy seed paste along with the sugar and the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Add the water and continue to cook uncovered over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until the liquid has reduced somewhat. Return the aubergines to the pan and coat with the spice paste
- 240ml of water
Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 5–7 minutes. Do not stir the aubergine at this stage except to release any spice paste from getting stuck to the bottom – you do not want to mash the aubergine
Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high until the oil comes to the edges of the pan. Taste for seasoning and adjust
Get in touch
Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.
You may also like
SITES
