Jeera Begun Diye Macher Jhol - Fish in Cumin Gravy with Eggplant

 

Jeera Begun Diye Macher Jhol

I've made variations of this dish and blogged about them in the past. Today I combined eggplants with roasted cumin seed powder to flavour this Maacher Jhol. There was an abundance of eggplants in the fridge, of the Japanese variety, which are my favourite. Eggplant pairs well with roasted cumin seeds. I make a big batch by taking a jar of McCormick’s cumin seeds (or buy in bulk at an Indian grocery store) and dry roasting them in an iron skillet over medium heat just until its aroma is released. Allow the seeds to cool, place in a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store the roasted cumin seed powder in its original jar or a glass jar with a tight lid, for future use. The base of the gravy for this Macher Jhol comprises two quartered onions, some chopped ginger, a tomato and a green chili that are blanched for 3-4 minutes and pureed in a blender. The resulting gravy is thick and clings to the eggplant and fish pieces. This macher jhol goes very well with steamed rice or hot and fluffy chapatis/tortillas.

Begun Basanti - Eggplant in Mustard and Yogurt Sauce

Begun Basanti

My sister, Rene, introduced me to this eggplant dish. Use any kind of eggplant. Just make sure they are cut in uniform pieces. Even the smallest eggplant, left whole or cut in half, work really well here. I love Japanese eggplant because they taste so good. I used Greek yogurt and whipped it with besan to keep it from separating in the hot oil.

Ingredients

4 Japanese or long eggplant
4 + 2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. paprika/Kashmiri mirch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. kalonji/nigella seeds
1 green chili, minced
1 cup thick yogurt
1 tsp. besan or gram flour

Onion-Garlic-Tomato Paste

1 tsp. oil
1 medium onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic
1 medium tomato
1/2 tsp. sugar

Mustard Paste
1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 green chili, diced

Garnish
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder (cinnamon, cloves & cardamom)
1 tsp. mustard oil
3 green chilies, sliced into circles or slit
cilantro, minced

Directions

1. Cut eggplant in 2" lengths and cut each segment in half lengthwise.
2. Toss eggplant pieces 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Soak mustard seeds in water for 1/2 hour, drain and blend with salt and green chili to a smooth paste.
4. Bring a cup of water to a boil and blanch quartered onion, garlic cloves and tomato until skin on tomato splits.
5. Remove skin from tomato and blend it along with oil, sugar, blanched onion and garlic to a smooth paste, reserving water.
6. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil and fry marinated eggplant until golden brown and soft.
7. Remove eggplant from oil and set aside.
8. Add remaining oil to skillet and temper with nigella seeds and minced green chilies.
9. Add remaining turmeric powder and paprika to hot oil along with onion-garlic-tomato paste and stir-fry until oil resurfaces.
10. Add reserved water from blanching onion to skillet.
11. Beat yogurt with besan and mustard paste, and add to skillet.
12. Return eggplant to skillet, stir well and bring gravy to a boil.
13. Garnish with sugar, garam masala powder and chilies.
14. Stir, sprinkle with cilantro and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve as a side dish with hot, steamed rice.

Begun Bashonti - Eggplant in Mustard Sauce

 

Begun Bashonti

This eggplant preparation was first suggested by my eldest sister. Mum would make it for special occasions for which it is suited because it's pure vegetarian and does not use onions or garlic. I like using Japanese eggplants because they have very few seeds and cook down to a tenderness that melts in the mouth. This dish uses both black and yellow mustard seeds, white poppy seeds and grated coconut that produces a smooth and mellow paste for the base of the gravy. Best had with hot, steamed rice, it can be accompanied by a meat or fish item and lentils.

Surimi and Eggplant in Black Bean Sauce

Surimi Eggplant in Black Bean Sauce

"Surimi", often called “Imitation Crab”, is seafood made with Wild Alaska Pollock, a mild whitefish related to cod, which is flavored to taste like crab or lobster. To make surimi seafood, Wild Alaska Pollock is finely minced and then blended with other ingredients such as starch, salt, natural crab meat, and egg white. It is then formed, cooked and cut into the various shapes and styles you find at your local grocery store." This description was adapted from the Louis Kemp website.

Louis Kemp Crab Delights

These packages of Surimi come in a variety of sizes and are available in most supermarkets in my neighborhood.  I make this eggplant dish in the same way I've made Surimi in Black Bean Sauce, except this is made on the stove top. It still takes no longer than 20 minutes, so dinner can be on the table in less than half an hour. Feel free to substitute shrimp for surimi or even bite-size pieces of fish fillet and serve with hot rice or chapatis.