EGGPLANTS IN PEANUT SAUCE




Ingredients :
6 tbsp oil
2 Ib / 900 g baby eggplants (aubergines)
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped Thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2 red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp desiccated coconut 1 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp tomato paste (puree) Salt and pepper
12 green beans, halved
1 3/4 cups / 200 g peanuts, chopped

Method :
Prep and cook time: 40 min
  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan and gently cook the whole eggplants (aubergines) until tender. Do not allow them to brown.
  2. Remove the eggplants from the pan and set half aside. Scoop the flesh from the other half and set aside.
  3. Cook the onions very gently until soft but not brown then add the garlic, ginger, chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in the coconut, tamarind paste and tomato paste (puree) and cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the chopped eggplant flesh and half a cup of water, season with salt and pepper and simmer very gently, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes. Add a little more water during cooking if needed. 6. Meanwhile, blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 3 minutes and add to the pan.
  6. Lightly toast the peanuts in a dry pan and add to the curry. Return the whole eggplants to the pan, heat though and serve.