Tamtar Wagen or Eggplant with Tomatoes from On the Himalyan Trail
When visiting Kashmir and Jammu, I saw that thin, long aubergines (eggplant) were popular dishes among the Kashmiri Hindus. I am a big fan of aubergines and learning to cook and eat them in different ways is exciting. The sweet, sour tomatoes work well with the aubergines here.
When visiting Kashmir and Jammu, I saw that thin, long aubergines (eggplant) were popular dishes among the Kashmiri Hindus. I am a big fan of aubergines and learning to cook and eat them in different ways is exciting. The sweet, sour tomatoes work well with the aubergines here.
Tamtar Wagen or Eggplant with Tomatoes
Serves 3
Ingredients
- 8 long thin eggplants (or two large ones), quartered lengthways, keeping the stem intact so they are joined at the top
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 8 teaspoons mustard or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon brown cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
- 1 lb, 2 oz tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (preferably Kashmiri)
- Scant 1/2 cup water
- 2-3 green chilies, halved (don’t remove seeds)
- Steamed Rice to Serve
Directions
Step 1
Place the eggplants into a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the turmeric. Mix and set aside for 15 minutes.
Step 2
Heat 5 teaspoons of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the marinated eggplants until light brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Step 3
To the same pan, add the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil, then add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When they start sizzling, add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes until they are soft.
Step 4
Add the ground ginger and chili powder, along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the water and cook for 2 minutes, then return the fried eggplants to the pan. Add the green chilies and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5
Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 30 minutes before serving with steamed rice.
Recipes excerpted with permission from On the Himalayan Trail by Romy Gill, photography by Matt Russell, published by Hardie Grant LondonQuadrille Publishing, May 2022
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