Yummy Easy Quick Around The World by Matt Preston. Published by Plum (through Pan Macmillan)
p264 INDIA
PREPARE IN MINUTES 20
Roasted Eggplant Curry with GarlickyCashews
3 large (about 1.1 kg) eggplants, cut into 4cm pieces
sea salt
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
80 ml ( cup) sunflower or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves, leaves picked
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 truss tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 × 270 ml can coconut cream
coriander leaves, to serve
flatbreads (see TIP), to serve
GARLICKY CASHEWS
60 ml (¼ cup) sunflower oil
110 g ( cup) raw cashews, coarselychopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon garam masala
Roasting the eggplant brings out a little smokiness and helps it to keep its shape when cooking; it also gives this
vego dish a real ‘meatiness’ – without any meat. The mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut should be all the clues
you need to identify this as South Indian in inspiration.
To make the garlic cashews, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the cashews and cook, tossing, for 2–3 minutes or until golden. Stir in the garlic and garam masala and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and drain on aplate lined with paper towel.
Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fanforced. Line a large baking tray with bakingpaper. Place the eggplant in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 teaspoons of the garam masala, half the turmeric and half the oil. Toss to coat. Scatter the eggplant over the prepared tray. Roast for 20 minutes or until slightly charred and tender, but still holdingits shape.
While the eggplant roasts away, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium– high heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or untilaromatic and the mustard seeds start to pop. Throw in the curry leaves and stir for1minute.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and remaining garam masala and turmeric and cook for a further 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until they collapse and start to break down. Your eggplant should be done now, so add it to the tomato mixture and stir to combine.
Season with salt. Add the coconut cream and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Scatter the garlic cashews and coriander over the eggplant curry and serve withflatbreads.
TIP
If you want to make your own two-ingredient flatbreads here’s how. Preheat a barbecue grill plate or large chargrill pan over medium–high heat. Place 300 g (2cups) self-raising flour in a bowl. Add 260 g (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt and stir untiljust combined. Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth andwell combined. Divide the dough into six portions. Use a well-floured rolling pinto roll out each portion to an 18 cm round. Chargrill for 2 minutes each side oruntilcooked, slightly pued and nicely charred in places.
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