Green eggplant curry (Mulgayi Palya)

Mulgayi, the green, long eggplant, is loved as a vegetable, like most other eggplant varietals. To be honest, I have never cooked with them before. I have always wondered what they taste like, and once I saw this recipe, I had to experiment with them.

Eggplants vary significantly in form; below is a brief description of a few of the wide varieties.

• Green long eggplants: These are the creamiest eggplants with minimal seeds. The skin is thin, and the flavour is mild and sweet in comparison. It completely lacks the bitterness of the purple European varietals. The flesh has very low moisture content, hence it turns creamier when cooked.

• Purple long (Japanese): These eggplants are also on the less bitter side, have creamy flesh, and thin skin. They come in a light lavender variety, cultivated mainly in China, and a deep purple variety, cultivated in Japan.

• Purple small brinjals (Indian): These are small eggplants that fit easily in the palm of your hand. The skin is thicker, and the flesh is creamy with a more pronounced eggplant flavour.

• Green small eggplants (Makhuea phrao, Thai): These are similar to their purple counterpart and are highly prized in Southeast Asia. Ther are slightly oval with white striations or dotting. They have a crisp texture, numerous small seeds, and thick skins, making them ideal for curries as well as for eating raw with nam prik dips.

• Pea eggplants (Thai): These are like small berries, very bitter, and dense. the skin is tough and pops when you bite it,

• Purple globe (American): This is the common large eggplant, with thick skin, and usually needs to be salted to remove bitterness, though I do not follow this process. A large number of seeds and high moisture make it perfect for deep-frying and making "bhurta," "baba ghanoush," and "mutabal".

• Rosa Bianca (Italian): An heirloom varietal, large and plump. The colour is white to lavender to rose. It is a mild eggplant, creamy and sweet.

Getting back to this dish, one that I loved. The soft eggplant are an offset to the dense curry,

Ingredients:

For the ground masala:

1-inch cinnamon stick

2 green cardamom

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

5 teaspoons desiccated coconut

5 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh coconut

2 Bydagi chillies

1/2 teaspoon husked, split Bengal lentils (chana dal)

1/2 teaspoon black lentils (urad dal)

6 cloves of garlic

12 curry leaves

4 teaspoons chilli powder

6 tablespoons water

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 tablespoons oil

For the curry:

10 long green eggplants, slit longitudinally into havves or quarters depending on thickness.

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 cup water

For the temper:

4 tablespoons oil

3 small garlic cloves, left whole

10 curry leaves

1 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

Method:

Start with the ground masala paste. Dry roast the cinnamon, cardamom, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, seccicated coconut, fresh coconut, Bydagi chillies, Bengal lentils, and black lentils until each is toasted and aromatic. Cool completely. Blitz to a smooth powder in a small spice blender. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion, and sauté until lightly golden. Remove from the flame and cool.

Mix the dry powder with the garlic, curry leaves, chilli powder, fried onions and water. Puree to a thick, smooth paste.

For the temper step. Heat the oil in a wok or pot on medium-low heat, and add the garlic. fry for 20 seconds until the garlic is lightly coloured. Add the curry leaves and onions and saute until the onions are lightly golden in colour, about 4 minutes.

Add the spice paste and sauté until the paste is aromatic and the oil begins to form small bubbles.

Add the water and stir until it forms a liquid. Add the eggplants and snuggle them into the sauce. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover with the lid closed for 12-15 minutes until the eggplants are cooked through and very soft.

Serve hot with akki roti, chapattis or rice.