Eggplant in Yogurt-Mint Sauce

Eggplant in my native Bengali is called begoon -- a word with a complex etymological origin. Begoon could be the Bengali variation of brinjal (itself derived from the Portugese beringela), the common English term for the vegetable in the Indian subcontinent. Begoon could also be a reference to the color of the vegetable as begooni in Bengali is the color purple. In a different etymological analysis, the word begoon could be seen as a combination of the Bengali prefix "be-" (without or devoid of) and the base word "goon" (positive trait or quality). If we went with the latter analysis, the term begoon describes something devoid of good qualities. And, for most of my childhood, that is how I felt about begoon -- a vegetable without any redeeming qualities. Generally mushy and sometimes irritating to the mouth and throat, begoon was only acceptable when dipped in batter and deep fried, a treatment that masked its distinctive taste and texture. More often than not though, eggplant would make an appearance in our daily meals as part of a vegetable stir fry or stew, or as an accompaniment to fish in a light maacher jhol.

Begoon's etymological history continued to unfold for me as I moved across the world. However, whether it was called aubergine (in England) or eggplant (in the US), the vegetable did not enjoy a prominent place in the cuisine of either country. In fact, one of the dreaded college dining hall meals in England was a mass-produced moussaka which featured an eggplant stuffed with ground meat and tomato sauce. In the US, the only prominent dish featuring eggplant was Eggplant Parmesan, something one would order in an Italian restaurant with limited vegetarian options. As a result, little changed by way of my perception of the eggplant. It was not until I started cooking myself that I discovered different kinds of eggplants, their different tastes and textures lending themselves to different preparations. I also started appreciating the different ways in which the eggplant is utilized in Bengali cuisine. Now, I typically use the Chinese or Japanese eggplants in Bengali vegetable stir fries, the large American eggplant for grilling and making dips, and the small Indian eggplants for spicy curries.

One of the easiest eggplant recipes I use is a variation of the Bengali Doi Begoon (Eggplant in Yogurt Sauce). It involves a simple, two-step process: searing thick rounds of American eggplant in mustard oil and topping with a spicy, herby yogurt sauce Searing the eggplant helps bring out its sweetness and the yogurt sauce, loaded with fresh herbs and green chilies, perks up the whole dish. I mix up the herbs -- sometimes using cilantro instead of mint. Right now, I have an unruly mint plant that is threatening to overtake the rest of the herbs in the garden, so I decided to use up some of it in this recipe.

What You Need:
1 large American eggplant (Cut into 1 inch thick rounds)
4-5 sprigs of mint leaves (can use a mix of cilantro and mint or just cilantro instead of mint)
2 Thai bird chilies
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 tbsp yogurt (I used 2%, but use full fat if you have it)
4-5 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Sugar

Directions:
Sprinkle eggplant rounds with salt and turmeric, coating both sides of the slices. Set aside.

Chop mint leaves and stalks, garlic, and green chilies. Place everything in a small blender, add a couple of tbsp water and puree till smooth.

Add yogurt to the blender jar and blend with herb mixture. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a skillet. Add eggplant slices to the pan in a single layer and fry over medium high heat till the bottom of slices are golden brown.

Eggplant absorbs fluid, so the slices will soak up most of the oil. Add more oil (about 1 tbsp at a time) to the pan if needed. Flip the slices to cook the other side.

Remove the slices from the pan when both sides are golden brown. Place in a shallow serving dish.

Add 1 tbsp of mustard oil to the skillet once all eggplant slices are fried. Add mustard seeds and wait till they start sputtering.

Add the yogurt mint sauce to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally (3-4 minutes). After 1-2 minutes, add salt, sugar, cumin and coriander powder and cook till you get the consistency of a medium-thick sauce that will coat the eggplant slices. If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a couple of tbsp of water.

Once the sauce has reached desired consistency, add lemon juice and give it a final stir. Pour sauce over the fried eggplant slices arranged in the serving dish. Cover the serving dish lightly with a plate and let the eggplant rest for 10-15 minutes.

To serve, carefully pick up slices of eggplant and spoon some extra sauce on the side. Serve with steamed rice.