Baby aubergine cooked with pickling spices

Baby aubergine cooked with pickling spices

 

 

Ingredients
1 kg baby aubergines
vegetable oil
1/2 tsp panch phoran
4 green chillies
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsps amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsps muscovado sugar
2 tbsps of chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Slice the aubergines lengthwise but not all the way through, so that they are still joined by the stem and a bit of flesh at the top.
2. Heat plenty of oil in a non-stick pan and fry the aubergines gently until they are almost cooked. Remove from pan.
3. In the same oil (remove some of it if there is too much, or add some more if most has been absorbed by the aubergines!), add the panch phoran and fry until it crackles. Then add the green chillies and the onions and fry gently until the onions start to brown.  
4. Add the chilli, coriander, amchoor, garam masala, turmeric and salt, fry for 30 seconds or so, then add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 10 minutes, until the oil begins to separate out.
5. Add the friend aubergines, lemon juice and sugar and cook for about 5 minutes, adding a little water if too dry.
6. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.