By Sarah Khalid
Ingredients:
- 4 medium eggplants, sliced
- Salt, enough for rubbing onto the sliced eggplants
- Oil for frying
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp sambal oelek (or your choice of hot sauce)
- 1/2 cup water
Spices for the Tomato Base:
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chili flakes (or less if you don’t like spicy)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
- 2 tsp sugar
Yogurt Mix:
- 350 grams yogurt + 2 tbsp cream or 400 grams greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala / chili powder
- 1/4 cup water
Garnish:
- Toasted almonds
- Chopped mint leaves
- Pomegranate arils
Method:
- Slice the eggplants and rub them with a bit of salt on both sides, fry until cooked, and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan, lightly sauté the chopped onions.
- In a blender, add tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, tomato ketchup, sambal oelek (or your choice of hot sauce), half a cup of water, and blend until smooth.
- Add this mixture to the onions and cook with the lid on. Stir occasionally.
- Once this mixture thickens, add all the spices for the tomato base and combine well.
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the yogurt mix and get ready to layer.
- Layer the base of your serving dish with the tomato mix, top it with fried eggplant slices, add the yogurt mix, and repeat.
- Garnish with toasted almonds, chopped mint leaves, and pomegranate.
- Eat it as a main dish or as a side, on its own, or with bread. You will love it every way.
