Every time I travel, I find that food choices at airports or rather the lack of choices quite frustrating. I mean yes, I do find the occasional salad at some restaurant, but for most part the choices are either unhealthy or unappetizing or both :-( As a result, I find that by the time I reach my destination, especially when I take long haul flights, I start to crave simple comfort foods. Some phulkas/ Indian flat bread and a simple curry or some khichdi and some kadhi feels just blissful after all the unhealthy choices we encountered in our journey.
Curries such as this aloo baingan are perfect not only for such days but also for weeknights or pretty much anytime you are looking for an easy, healthy and quick side dish for phulkas or even some plain steamed rice and dhal. It is easy enough for anyone to make, even newbies to the kitchen and it is consistently satisfying and delicious :)
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Ingredients and Method to make aloo baingan
1 large eggplant cut into 3/4 inch cubes ( baingan / katrikai )
1 large potato peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes ( aloo/ urilakizhangu) ( or 3 medium potatoes )
1 large onion peeled and cut fine (pyaaz / vengayam )
2 medium tomatoes cut fine ( yielded 1 cup of cut pieces) ( tamatar / thakkali)
1 and 1/2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera / jeeragam)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste ( adrak lehsun)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi/ manjal podi)
3/4 tsp red chili powder ( or to taste) ( lal mirch/ molagai podi)
1 tsp coriander powder ( dhania powder)
Salt to taste ( namak/ uppu)
Garnish
2 to 3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro ( coriander leaves/ hara dhania/ kothamalli)
Prep all the vegetables and keep aside. Place cubed potatoes and eggplant in a bowl of cool/ room temperature water so that it does not discolor.
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, add cumin seeds/ jeera to it, when the seeds sizzle add onions and sauté until the onions turn translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and stir a few times.
Add tomatoes and stir until it softens. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and stir a few times. Add drained potatoes and eggplant, salt to taste and mix well. Cover with a lid and on low heat cook the vegetables. You don't need to add any water as the veggies cook in the steam.
When the veggies are cooked until soft yet retain their shape, remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves.
Serve hot with phulka / rotis / Indian flat bread or even as a side dish with plain steamed rice and dhal.
If you are looking for recipes with baingan/ eggplant, here are a few more
When the veggies are cooked until soft yet retain their shape, remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves.
Serve hot with phulka / rotis / Indian flat bread or even as a side dish with plain steamed rice and dhal.
If you are looking for recipes with baingan/ eggplant, here are a few more
 Baingan Bharta ~ Vegan Roasted Eggplant Curry |  Baingan ki sabzi ~ Eggplant in coconut milk gravy |  Methi Baingan ~ Eggplant with fenugreek curry |  Baingan Simla mirch sabzi ~ Eggplant bell pepper curry |
