Eggplant reminds me of mom | Vegan Gujarati Dish

Melt-in-the-Mouth Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry Recipe by Sanjana for K.O. Rasoi

The only eggplant recipe I know of, disregarding grilling, is the simple one my mom would make when I was a child. At that time, my mom was rarely home during the week because she was always working at the hospital and always studying for something at home. I would relinquish the fact I loved this recipe so much because my mom was home spending time with me. I remember when my mom would smash the vegetable with a fork, coat the "eggplant pancake" in an egg mixture and fry it, and slather it with Ketchup. I am unsure if this is a typical Filipino dish...or even remotely healthy. Regardless, to return to the experience of sitting at the kitchen counter with my superhero mom over looking the stove, I loved that dish so much, I remember the phone call I made home asking mom for the recipe when I was in college...

In search of expanding my culinary eggplant knowledge, Sanjana, you have won my heart with another recipe of yours. From a vegan dish, my palate and my full stomach thanks you too. If you, the reader to my blog, have not read my last post, Sanjana is a fellow blogger at K.O. Rasoi, and a Content Producer for Food Network UK. After recreating her Vegan Marsala Taco Dish, I went through her blog and picked out another recipe to recreate and review as promised.

Aubergine. The French kindly created a facade of eloquence with their term toward the glossy bulbous vegetable that which hangs off of a spiny stem and capped with coarse leaves. I have met a few people who could not stand the taste of eggplant. One of my friends, Scott J, claimed the purple vegetable was about the same as,"chewing on a sponge." If I could be so bold to test the waters as I write...this recipe could change this Scott.

This dish was exactly what Sanjana mentions in her blog, "...smoky, spicy, punchy and tangy." She mentions to not be scared to roast an eggplant to a crisp on an open flame.

I tried not to be afraid and I followed her rule to at least 8mins on each side. This allowed me to scrape a few pieces of the peel, yet just not enough. I had to take a knife and cut some pieces. I also had to give the vegetable a few spins through a food processor.

Even so, the dish tasted wonderful and not as if I was chewing on a sponge mind you. However, I wish I listened and kept that eggplant on the grill till it was scorched. The 8 minute tip did give the dish a light smoky flavor, yet I just wonder how much more of a punch I could get if I listened. How much more creamier?  How much more smokier? How much more of the "melt-in-your-mouth" taste could I gather?

Give it a try, you, the reader, and dont be shy in leaving the eggplant on the grill till the vegetable skins are scorched, crisp, and fraying in the wind. Haha, maybe not the last bit. The dish is easy to make, just needs some time and hand work to chop all the vegetables as well as your attentiveness. Sure it's important to stand watch when your're creating layers of taste for this dish by adding each vegetable at a given time, specifically though, be attentive when you're roasting them fancy aubergines on an open flame ;)

Much Love and Bear Hugs,
-Melanie Dyogi