Cook Share and Feast

Roasted eggplant goes very well with many vegetables. It’s aroma and taste will enhance those vegetables that does not have their own distinct flavor. One of them is tofu which does not have any flavor and tastes quite bland. So in this recipe I have added tofu to flavorful broiled eggplant and with mushrooms as a thick curry. I opted for portabella mushroom instead of white/button mushroom since portabella is more rigid and have its own flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (about ¾ lb)
• 8 oz extra firm tofu
• 4 oz button mushroom/baby Bella
• 1 small red onion sliced (about ¼ cup)
• 2 tomatoes (about ½ lb) chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• ¾ inch piece fresh ginger
• 2-3 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup coconut milk or any milk
• Few curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Preheat broiler/set oven to broil
• Wash and cut eggplant into about ½ inch cubes
• Spray with oil to a cookie sheet and arrange eggplant in one layer and broil for about 25-30 minutes
• Transfer roasted eggplants to a dish
• Drain tofu and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut them into small cubes (about ¼ inch or ½ inch)
• Arrange cut tofu on the cookie sheet and roast/broil for about 10-15 minutes (you will see the outside will turn golden)
• Cut mushroom into ¼ inch cubes and set aside
• Thinly slice onion and chop ginger and garlic into fine pieces/crush them
• Add oil to a large covered saucepan and once hot add onion and fry until translucent
• Now add chopped ginger and garlic and sauté until they are lightly golden.
• Add chopped tomato, chili powder, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric and salt and mix well.  Cover and cook on very low flame until tomato comes to sauce consistency. If it gets dry and start burning, add one tablespoon water at a time.
• Add eggplants, tofu and mushroom and mix well. Now add the water and coconut milk and season with salt
• Cover and cook for about 10 -15 minutes or the gravy thickens.
• Add curry leaves and mix well and turn off the flame and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving
• Serve with warm basmati rice or chappati/roti
• Yield: about 4 servings as a side dish (this depends on what main item it is served with)