Eggplant Dal Recipes

EGGPLANT DAL

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium. Add onion and eggplant, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened and starting to break down, about 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and stir up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, then transfer eggplant mixture to a bowl.
• Melt ghee in the pot over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, chile, cumin seeds and coriander, and stir constantly until fragrant (be careful not to burn), about 30 seconds. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely broken down and lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Stir in eggplant mixture.
• Add lentils and 3 cups water to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender and mixture is thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide dal among bowls and garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice or naan.

EGGPLANT AND DHAL CURRY WITH BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400', stab the eggplant with a fork a couple of times and put in a small casserole dish, uncovered on the middle rack for 30 minutes. When done, run under some cool water and peel of skin, and scrape out all of the seeds. Place in a food processor. (do not process until all the ingredients are ready.)
• While the eggplant is roasting, brown the basmati rice in a skillet with 2T of olive oil, the turmeric, salt, and cumin seeds for 5 minutes. Then add the 2 cups water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
• Start the lentils cooking in a pot with about 2" of water covering them. Bring them to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the water is almost gone. After they are done cooking, put them along with 2T of lentil water in the food processor with the eggplant.
• In a small skillet, cook 3T olive oil, the mustard seeds, the chopped onions, and the garlic. (This dish is not spicy, but if you want it to be, just add the cayenne to this mixture.) After onions are tender and mustard seeds start sputtering, add the salt and the curry seasoning. Stir in a handful of washed baby spinach and wilt into the mixture. Add all of this to the food processor and process on low with the eggplant and the lentils. Add the cup of pureed tomatoes (I use some leftover homemade tomato soup that has pureed tomatoes, a little sugar, salt, and tomato paste in it)and process it all up and then enjoy.