These are the days of snuggling under the covers with a hot cup of tea as the world outside shivers and shakes and freezes up into a block of solid gray.The days of slapping the snooze button on the alarm clock, again, and again, and again, and again.
The days of dreaming about spring, when the leaves and the grass and the flowers will burst out of the earth in a dizzying flurry of colors, bright in longed-for sunshine.
I have a love-hate relationship with all the seasons, but my feelings about winter are so strong, they are in a league of their own
Sure, I dream about colder days when the sun blazes down on Washington in the summer months, sapping every drop of liquid in your body. I long for the good-hair days of winter when the humidity turns my head into a frizzball. And I cannot wait each year for the first snow to collect on the branches of trees and the rooftops of houses, so pristine in its beauty
And yet winter here also means days so bitterly cold, I don’t think I could have ever imagined the blood-freezing intensity of it when I lived in Bombay. The sub-freezing temperatures, sometimes accompanied by even stronger wind-chills, turn my fingers into little popsicles every time I step out, even for the short walk to my car. There are times when the cold has brought me to tears, and I kid you not.
Desi, of course, is surprisingly resilient. Winter’s his favorite season, and you wouldn’t guess that he was born and brought up in the cauldron of Madras. Me, I haven’t outgrown my sultry Bombay blood
So no surprises then that in winter, like many others, I’m sure, I make every excuse in the book to stay indoors as much as possible. When that time can be spent at home, all the better.
It is on days like these that I pull out my favorite cookbooks and browse through them for a meal that I know will warm me to the core. This Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian is one such dish.
The recipe uses your everyday Indian spices: cumin, coriander, cinnamon and mustard. But with some deft variations, Jaffrey combines them into a dish so vibrant, it has to be tasted for its flavor to be believed.
Eggplant is one of my favorite veggies- it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it’s comfort food to me- so all the better.
I would have followed the recipe to the letter, except that I didn’t have the curry leaves the recipe required, so I improvised instead with some kasoori methi this time. The kasoori methi changes the taste but the end result is just as delicious.
Ok, it’s time for me to snuggle back under the covers, and I’m off. Enjoy, everyone!
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More recipes to try:
Brinjal Rasavangi, a south Indian eggplant dal
Usal, a curry with sprouts
Vegan Baked One-Pot Chickpea Curry with Cauliflower and Potatoes
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Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant , sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder like cayenne or paprika
- 1 tsp coriander seeds , powdered
- 1 tsp cumin seeds , powdered
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds , powdered
- Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion , thinly sliced
- 1 handful kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tsp mustard seeds , powdered
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
- Slather the eggplant slices with salt, pepper and oil, and place on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet under the broiler and cook for four minutes until the slices are reddish-brown on top.
- Flip over and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
- Cut the eggplant slices into quarters, add the turmeric, lemon juice, and chilli, fennel, coriander and cumin powders and mix well.
- Heat the other tbsp of oil in a saucepan.
- Add the onion and fry until lightly brown.Add the kasoori methi (or curry leaves) and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the eggplant and cook, stirring, for about five minutes.
- Add the coconut milk and warm through. Add the mustard powder and mix well. Add salt if needed.
- Turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves.
- This tastes wonderful with some hot rotis, but it'd also be great with plain boiled rice.
Mahimaa's kitchen says
January 9, 2009 ateggplant and coconut milk shud make a yummy combo. i have never experienced the cold u r describing as I live in los angeles. even now, i am able to go for walks..i am glad i am here 🙂
Dibs says
January 9, 2009 atGood idea! grilled brinjal comes to my rescue when I dont know what to make,or dont have time! fennel, coconut milk, kasoori methi …all yummy ingredients to make a hit!
Jan Scholl says
January 9, 2009 atI think I can smell this cooking in my head. I love to cook at 2 AM and I have an eggplant. Hmmmm.
sowmya says
January 9, 2009 atnice recipe..looks spicy and yummy..
DJ Karma (of Vegspinz) says
January 9, 2009 atI love eggplant too & just had some for dinner! The vibrant colors of that curry impart warmth…emotionally? Love it! Thanks for the descriptive read!
vidhas says
January 9, 2009 atL ove brinjal so much, youe eggplant curry looks selicious. Thanks for dropping by and for your lovely comments.
Priya says
January 9, 2009 atThis eggplant curry is new to me…delicious they r..
Happy cook says
January 9, 2009 atBeautiful and delicious curry.
yeah here to it is cold.
Today it is -7°c.
Kitchen Flavours says
January 9, 2009 atSomething new to me. Looks gr8.
Cassandra says
January 9, 2009 atyummy! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thank you for posting it, and beautiful words about winter, sorry to say I live in Southern CA where my winter peeks at 40 degrees maybe!! Have a wonderful day!
Usha says
January 9, 2009 atLove eggplant and loved the combination of flavors in this curry, looks delicious 🙂
Gita's Kitchen says
January 9, 2009 atThe curry looks delicious, I am planning to make this one for my hubby who is not a great fan of eggplants. I am sure he will like this creamy eggplant curry 🙂
Cham says
January 9, 2009 atThe brinjal curry is different, love the coconut touch !
Arundhuti says
January 9, 2009 atinteresting recipe..i quite like eggplants…will try this sometime..
Madhu says
January 9, 2009 atsuper colour..combo of coconut milk,fennel and eggplant has to be very flavourful.
Meera says
January 9, 2009 atYou write so well. I too have same feelings about winter. 🙁
Curry looks delicious.
sunshinemom says
January 10, 2009 atI love the way your food embraces the whole world!! Well done and beautiful looking curry! Thank you so much for remembering FIC:)
I love winters too – it reminds me of my North Indian Childhood!! Now we have no freezing winters, just a slight nip in the air late in the evening:(
vegwife says
January 10, 2009 atThis looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Aparna says
January 12, 2009 atThis is a most unusual way of cooking eggplant. I’m sure the coconut milk takes it to another level.
We don’t have winters here, so its very pleasant here now. I do prefer this season to summers as I have a tough time with the heat!
Janani says
November 21, 2012 atlooks sooooooooooooooo yummy yummy
Denise says
January 28, 2018 atTurned out great! I’m still trying to find eggplant recipes that will help me better appreciate this beautiful veg. This is one! Though I’d peel the eggplant next time. Store bought eggplant have tough skins. Local fresh in the summer are better, of course. Had this with curry chickpeas and your lovely simple dosas. Thank you!