South Indian Eggplant and Pea Curry

Ingredients:

1 Mishra’s Curry Cube

2 medium eggplants, diced

Oil for cooking

½ tsp mustard seeds

5 - 6 curry leaves

I onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2cm root ginger, minced

1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped

½ cup fresh or frozen peas

1 full tbsp coconut milk powder, dissolved in ½ cup of water

1 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tbsp lemon juice

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish, optional

Step one

Heat a decent amount of oil in a non-stick fry pan. Add the eggplant cubes and fry over a medium to high heat to soften and brown them, then set them aside and drain on paper towel. Pour 1 tbsp of oil into the pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves when it is hot. Stir and cook them until the seeds start popping and you can smell the aroma of the curry leaves. Stir in the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion has softened and begun to brown. Mix in the Curry Cube.

Step two

Add the tomato, mix in well and cook for about 1 minute. Add the eggplant pieces to the pan along with the peas, stir well, then pour in the coconut powder and water mixture and coat the eggplant in the curry sauce. Cover the pan and cook over a very low heat for around 15 minutes. The eggplant should be silky soft by then.

Step three

Stir in the shredded coconut, cook for another minute or so, then add the lemon juice and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle over the chopped coriander leaves, if using, and serve the curry hot with rice and/or Indian breads.