Achari Brinjal and Potato Curry

Preparation time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients

For the achari masala

• 3 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)

For the brinjal

• 6 baby brinjals (aubergines), stems trimmed
• 5 tablespoons neutral oil
• Fine sea salt
• 2 potatoes, diced and soaked
• ½ teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted and crushed
• 2 teaspoons ginger paste
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 400 ml tomato pulp

• 4 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• To make the achari masala, preheat the oven to 135°C
• Place all the spices in a small, lipped baking tray and toast in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a further 10-15 minutes, before crushing coarsely using a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder. Transfer to a small jar or tub with a tight seal.
• Turn the oven up to 150°C.
• Slice the brinjals lengthways into 1cm/½ in pieces, leaving them attached to the stem. Brush each slice with oil, open them up slightly like a fan and lay them on a non-stick baking Sprinkle with salt and bake for 20-25 minutes until softened through, without much colour.
• Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil to a frying pan over a medium heat. Drain the diced, soaked potatoes and fry for 15 minutes until soft and browned, then remove to a
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the frying pan with the asafoetida, the cumin seeds and the ginger and garlic pastes,

then fry for 1 minute or until the raw smell of garlic goes.

• Add the onion and fry for another 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
• In a small bowl, mix together the turmeric, chilli powder and ground coriander with half the ground and toasted achari masala and 200ml of water. Set aside.
• Stir the tomato pulp into the onions in the pan and fry for a few minutes. Add the soaked masala spices, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick, but add more water if

• Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Season to taste.
• Gently add the baked brinjals to the pan. Cover with the sauce and simmer for a few more minutes, then serve with hot chapatis.

Nutritive value per serving

Calories: 291 kcal

Fat: 18.8 g

Carbohydrates: 30 g

Protein: 5 g