South Indian Eggplant Curry

Mark BittmanTime 15 minutes Yield 4 or more servings

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Eggplant is good steamed or fried, but try making it in the microwave. The timing is forgiving, this recipe is easy enough, and the texture of the eggplant will be mind-blowingly good, soft and not at all oily or soggy. Like steaming, but better.

view this recipe on NYTCooking.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon chickpea flour
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Dash of asafetida
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons tamarind paste
1 large or 2 medium eggplant
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Preparation

Step 1
In a bowl, mix oil, chickpea flour, turmeric and asafetida. Heat on high for 90 seconds, stopping to stir halfway through. In another bowl, heat coconut on high for 90 seconds, stirring halfway through. Add coconut, ginger, salt and tamarind to chickpea mixture.
Step 2
Rinse and dry eggplant, trim off ends, and cut into 1-inch slices. Score one side of each slice in several places. Spread and press spice mixture into gashes, then put eggplant into a dish. Partly cover (waxed paper works) and heat on high for 6 minutes. Uncover and cook on high for 2 or 3 minutes, until very soft. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot or warm.

Adapted from Roopa Kalyanaraman