Baby eggplant-peanut curry

Baby eggplants simmered in a spiced tomato-peanut based curry. Perfect to warm up on a cold day - my favorite way to eat this curry is with a bowl of brown rice. So good!!!

Serves 4

Ingredients

Baby Eggplant - about 8-10
Toasted unsalted peanuts, 1/4 cup (ground to a powder)
Oil, as needed
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
Garlic, 5 cloves, minced
Ginger, grated, 1 tsp
Onion, 1 large, chopped
Tomatoes, 3 medium, chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Ground turmeric, 1 tsp
2 tsp ground coriander
Ground cayenne, 1 tsp or as needed
1-2 cardamom
1 dried bay leaf
2 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
Cilantro, freshly chopped


Instructions
- Cut the eggplants into quarters from the bottom, leaving their stems intact.
- Sprinkle salt over and inside them and set aside
- Heat a wide cast iron skillet over medium
- Add a few tsp of oil and pan-roast the eggplant, tossing them around with a pair of tongs so that they are evenly cooked on all sides, about 15 minutes
- Transfer the eggplant to a plate
- To the same skillet, add cumin seeds and cook until they begin to sizzle and then add the ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cook for 30 seconds
- Add the onions, sprinkle some salt and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often
- Add the tomatoes, turmeric, cayenne, ground coriander, ground peanuts, about 1 cup water and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Gently stir in the pan-fried eggplant into the skillet
- Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Adjust consistency according to your preference, by adding more water, if needed
- Turn off heat, add cilantro and serve hot with your favorite flat bread or rice