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Oct. 20th, 2005 07:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
which_chickSorry for the paucity of posting here for the past two days. I was in State College attending a conference about lake management. I really, really need a wireless card for my laptop. Anyway, in lieu of an actual post, here's something fun you can do with eggplant ...
Mom sent me this recipe on a recipe card, apparently operating under the impression that I have a file o' recipe cards in my house. I do not have a file o' recipe cards in my house. I have a beleagured, falling-apart binder of typed family recipes that have been splattered with ingredients and updated with more detailed, appropriate directions in my ungainly scrawl. My Aunt Dora, designer of the binder, wisely included a number of blank pages at the end so that the cookbook owner could write down things that he or she particularly liked. I have added a number of recipes to my binder, but I have very little use for actual index card recipes. I'm going to have to copy this one into the book.
Fragrant Indian Eggplant Stew (Mom clearly follows the Leonard of Quirm school of naming things.)
1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplant
1 lb. chopped fresh tomatoes (About 3 medium ones. I used canned whole tomatoes because I didn't have fresh.)
1 chopped medium white onion
1 inch grated fresh raw ginger (Don't worry about how thick the ginger piece is. It's not a critical thing. You want a nice amount of grated fresh ginger. Use the small holes on your grater.)
4 huge garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup water
olive oil to suit
1 teaspoon each: cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ground coriander, ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
one fresh lime (optional)
a handful fresh cilantro
1. Wash eggplant(s). Cut into rounds about 1/2" thick. Then, slice each round to make large french-fry shaped pieces. DO NOT PEEL EGGPLANT.
2. In a huge skillet, on low-med heat, saute eggplant in olive oil until eggplant is brown all over. Stir constantly. When eggplant is brown and wilty, remove and set aside.
3. In skillet, add a bit more oil, if needed, saute onion, garlic, ginger, seeds. When fragrant, add tomatoes, other spices, water, salt, and the eggplant (again).
4. Simmer over low heat until eggplant is tender and done (15-20 minutes).
5. Serve over white rice (basmati if you have it, I use sushi rice for everything these days and it works just fine) with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime on top. You don't NEED the lime, but it goes well with the cilantro and I had a couple in the fridge.
This came out pretty good, for all that I didn't have fresh tomatoes and I didn't have ground coriander and I used cardamom pods (I like them better.) instead of ground cardamom. Note to self: The indian spice you don't have any of is ground coriander. Try to pick some up at the grocery the next time you go.
Mom sent me this recipe on a recipe card, apparently operating under the impression that I have a file o' recipe cards in my house. I do not have a file o' recipe cards in my house. I have a beleagured, falling-apart binder of typed family recipes that have been splattered with ingredients and updated with more detailed, appropriate directions in my ungainly scrawl. My Aunt Dora, designer of the binder, wisely included a number of blank pages at the end so that the cookbook owner could write down things that he or she particularly liked. I have added a number of recipes to my binder, but I have very little use for actual index card recipes. I'm going to have to copy this one into the book.
Fragrant Indian Eggplant Stew (Mom clearly follows the Leonard of Quirm school of naming things.)
1 large eggplant or 2 small eggplant
1 lb. chopped fresh tomatoes (About 3 medium ones. I used canned whole tomatoes because I didn't have fresh.)
1 chopped medium white onion
1 inch grated fresh raw ginger (Don't worry about how thick the ginger piece is. It's not a critical thing. You want a nice amount of grated fresh ginger. Use the small holes on your grater.)
4 huge garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup water
olive oil to suit
1 teaspoon each: cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ground coriander, ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
one fresh lime (optional)
a handful fresh cilantro
1. Wash eggplant(s). Cut into rounds about 1/2" thick. Then, slice each round to make large french-fry shaped pieces. DO NOT PEEL EGGPLANT.
2. In a huge skillet, on low-med heat, saute eggplant in olive oil until eggplant is brown all over. Stir constantly. When eggplant is brown and wilty, remove and set aside.
3. In skillet, add a bit more oil, if needed, saute onion, garlic, ginger, seeds. When fragrant, add tomatoes, other spices, water, salt, and the eggplant (again).
4. Simmer over low heat until eggplant is tender and done (15-20 minutes).
5. Serve over white rice (basmati if you have it, I use sushi rice for everything these days and it works just fine) with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime on top. You don't NEED the lime, but it goes well with the cilantro and I had a couple in the fridge.
This came out pretty good, for all that I didn't have fresh tomatoes and I didn't have ground coriander and I used cardamom pods (I like them better.) instead of ground cardamom. Note to self: The indian spice you don't have any of is ground coriander. Try to pick some up at the grocery the next time you go.
