A Use For Eggplant

Personally, I love the eggplant. But I am usually on my own when I make eggplant as most people seem leary. I think the eggplant haters I know just havent had it prepared correctly or they had one experience with a bitter one and called it quits.



Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry with Shrimp)

• 1 pound 21-30 count shrimp, peeled and deveined.
  
• 2 eggplant
  
• 3 T olive oil
  
• 2 t cumin
  
• 2 yellow onion, diced
  
• 2 T ginger, minced
  
• 2 T garlic, minced
  
• 2 T sweet curry
  
• 2 tomatoes, diced
  
• 1 C plain, full fat yogurt (dont use non-fat)
  
• 2 jalapenos, diced
  
• 2 t salt
  
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  
• Basmati
  

1) Preheat oven to 450, Slice eggplant in half lengthwise then place on foil-lined baking sheet, flat side down and roast for 20-30 minutes until softened. Remove, cool, peel and chop into bits.

2) Process ginger and garlic into a paste. Heat 2T oil over medium high heat then stir onions and cumin until onions are soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add tomato and curry and stir fry for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low then add in the yogurt, jalapenos and eggplant, stir to blend. Season with salt then cover and crank heat to high. Cook for 10 minutes over high heat then reduce to low. Uncover then continue cooking at low heat for 5 minutes.

3) In a separate frying pan add remaining 1 T of oil. Over high heat stir fry shrimp until cooked through. Either add the shrimp to the curry mixture or serve them over the top.

4) Serve with Basmati, garnish with cilantro.


Servings: 4