Aubergine And Raisin Tamarind Curry

Directions

1. 1. Place aubergine in colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, & leave for 30 min. Rinse thoroughly & dry well with paper towels.
2. 2. Soak tamarind pulp in 1/3 c. boiling water, off the heat, for 15 min. Stir & mash with fork to help it dissolve. Strain through a fine strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract all the liquid.
3. 3. Heat 1/4 c. of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. In batches, cook the aubergine till golden brown on both sides, about 7 min per batch, transferring the cooked aubergine to paper towels to drain. Drain thoroughly, changing the paper towels with each batch.
4. 4. Heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole or possibly dutch oven, over medium heat. Add in the onions & cook, stirring, till golden brown, about 10 min. Reduce heat to low. Add in garlic, ginger, coriander, curry pwdr, cayenne, black pepper & cinnamon & stir for 1 minute.
5. 5. Add in the remaining water, tamarind liquid, raisins & sugar & salt to taste & simmer over low heat till the mix reduces & thickens, 5-7 min. Add in the garam masala & cook for another minute. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.
6. NOTES : This curry with its winning combination of sweet, sour & spicy flavors is one of my absolutely favorite ways to prepare aubergine. Serve it
7. as part of a curry meal, or possibly as an accompaniment to grilled poultry or possibly meat.
8. It is also excellent at room temperature. When cooking the aubergine, make
9. sure you drain it thoroughly of all excess oil. If desired, you can grill
10. the aubergine slices instead of frying them.