Afghan braised eggplant with yogurt dressing (Banjaan borani)

Sometimes, I cook a dish that surprises me. I love everything eggplant, but this dish, in particular, is phenomenal.

As I follow culture and history through food, this dish is very similar to dishes of Persian and Mediterranean origin, particularly another dish from Turkey, Ali Nazik. While the Turkish version has meat, the base concept and flavours are very similar.

This relatively simple dish is both visually stunning and bursts on your palate. In the other Afghan recipes I have made, I have discussed how delicate and subtle the flavours are, but not in this case. The soft roasted eggplant is on a bed of creamy yoghurt that comes alive with the spicy tomato sauce loaded with chilli. The dish perfectly balances creamy, tangy and spicy layered over the soft roasted eggplant. The best way to enjoy this dish is with some naan or pita bread, which you can use to sop up the sauce. This is definitely a dish that is going to come out at my next dinner party.

Durkhanai Ayubi tells her story of fleeing war-torn Afghanistan through recipes and stories in this cookbook. She runs two restaurants in Adelaide, is a freelance writer, and is a fellow of the Atlantic Institute. Through this book, she describes how new ideologies, such as Soviet-inspired communism and Islamic extremism, informed movements that challenged Afghan culture and traditions and led to the large-scale displacement of Afghans, including many members of her own family. This cookbook is filled with delicious and wonderful recipes, and they do stave my craving for excellent Afghan cuisine.

For more delicious recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants, or 6-7 small Japanese eggplants

Oil spray

Salt, to taste

Pepper to sprinkle

2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, sliced fine

6 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 spicy red chillies, sliced in half

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

5 tomatoes, sliced horizontally

1/2 cup water

Salt, to taste

Mint leaves, torn, to garnish

Chili powder to sprinkle

For the dressing:

1 cup yogurt, whipped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Salt, to taste

Heat the oven to 375 F.

Cut the eggplant into long slices and layer on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spray with oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the eggplant is roasted and soft. Set aside.

To make the sauce, heat a saucepan on medium heat with the oil and add the onions, chillies, garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Turn the heat to low and add the coriander powder, sugar, turmeric, chilli powder, and vinegar and give the pot a stir for 2-3 minutes.

Carefully layer the tomatoes on top of the cooked vegetables and onions, add the water and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes are broken down. Do not stir the pot.

Carefully layer the cooked eggplant over the sauce, add a touch of water if needed and simmer sealed for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the yoghurt by combining all the ingredients and mixing well into a smooth dressing.

To serve, spread 3/4 tablespoons of the yoghurt on a large platter. Carefully spoon the eggplants and sauce over the yoghurt. Spoon any remaining sauce over the eggplants. Spoon the rest of the yoghurt over the eggplants to create a beautiful presentation platter. Garnish with torn mint leaves and chilli powder.