Eggplant (low Carb) Entree

The origin of eggplant is India but New Jersey USA is the Eggplant capital. I found that very interesting . In the 1700’s the eggplant were smaller and white or yellow. They looked more like a goose’s egg, hence the name. Thought I will share my research:) It is also called brinjal, mad Apple, egg fruit among other names

When I was growing up, my mom used to make eggplant mostly in winter. It was either a side dish or an entree. For the former she would roast the whole eggplant over the stove, peel the skin and mash it and add salt and pepper to it with some butter and fry it. This was eaten along with yogurt, a crispy tortilla (paaper) and the main dish which was a lot of work. For the entree she would cook it with other veggies. I did not eat either. I was a very picky eater. But now I love it! Since eggplant has a spongy texture it absorbs the flavor of the sauces and spices you add to it, makes it more appealing to me. When I initially started making it I would poke the eggplant with a fork and put in the microwave for 10 minutes, peel it and mash it and then cook it with the sauces and seasonings. But now I cut it into chunks and then cook it with the seasonings. You can do either way. I make eggplant only when i get the organic version from Costco. You get 4 small eggplant in a packet.

Ingredients

• 1 13/4 cup chopped eggplant
• 3-4 medium tomatoes pureed
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 big onion finely chopped
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp garlic past
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 -1 tsp

Recipe

Warm up oil in a big saucepan. Add onions and sauté. Then add the purred tomatoes and spices. Cook on medium till the oil separates. This gives it a good flavor. Lastly add chopped eggplant.

Cook it for at least 30 minutes or more on medium low. Check for tenderness. Add a1/4 cup water if needed to further cook eggplant. Add cilantro for garnish. Enjoy! Looking forward to your feedback!