Spinach & Eggplant in Mustard Sauce

Palang Shaak Begun Shorshe Bata Diye

To try something different, I'd made Lau Chingri with Shorshe Bata which requires mustard seeds to be soaked and blended. The paste is then strained through a tea strainer to extract just the juice, so that the dish does not get tainted with the mustard seeds. Instead of discarding the remaining pulp, it was used to make this spinach and eggplant dish which added a tantalizing mustard flavor to otherwise bland greens. 

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen & chopped spinach, thawed
2 Oriental eggplant, cut in cubes
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. panch phoron (Bengali 5 spice)
1 green chili, diced
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. black mustard paste or pulp

Directions:

1. Toss eggplant with salt and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat and sputter 5 spice and chilies.
3. Add eggplant and fry until golden brown.
4. Add spinach and cook until spinach wilts.
5. Add mustard paste, adjust salt to taste, stir well and remove from heat.

Serve with steamed rice or chapatis.