Ingredients:

2 large eggplants (about 1 pound each)

3 tablespoons oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seed

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced (most any mushrooms will work)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 fresh red chili powder (although I like to use a jalapeño pepper)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ ground teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 14-oz can tomatoes, chopped (or fresh poached tomatoes with the skins removed)

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

sprigs of cilantro for garnish

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

2.      Brush the skin of both eggplants with 1 tablespoon of oil and prick with a fork. 

3.      Bake 30-35 minutes until soft.

4.      Meanwhile, heath the remaining oil in a saucepan and sauté the mustard seeds for two minutes (be careful of the oil sputter).

5.      Add the scallions, garlic, chopped chili and mushrooms to the saucepan and sauté for about 5 minutes. 

6.      Stir in the chili powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes. 

7.      Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.

8.      Cut each eggplant lengthwise and scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl. Mash the flesh briefly with a fork.

9.      Add the mashed eggplant and chopped cilantro to the saucepan.

10.  Bring to boil and reduce the liquid until sauce thickens.

11.  Serve with cilantro garnish.

This dish is great both hot and cold.  It keeps well in the fridge – about 1 ½ weeks.  It can be served hot as a side dish or cold as an antipasto.