Eggplant Gotsu

Name: Eggplant Gotsu
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: cup of mung beans or yellow lentils, cooked to mush: 1/2; tsp of mustard seeds: 1; tsp of cumin seeds: 1; red chili or chili powder (adjust heat to taste): 1; asafoetida (Hing): 1/2 tsp; curry leaves (fresh or dried): 6; chopped onions: 2; Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp; eggplant (aubergine/brinjal), cubed (when prepared in advance soak cubes in water to avoid discoloration): 1; chopped tomato: 1; cup of tamarind juice (if unavailable use 2 tbsp tamarind sauce): 1/2; Sugar: 1/2 tsp; A small bunch of chopped coriander leaves; tbsp of oil (vegetable, coconut or groundnut, avoid olive oil): 1; cup of water: 1/2; salt to taste; tsp of yellow lentils: 4; tsp of coriander seeds: 2; dry red chili or chili powder (adjust heat to taste): 1; tsp of cumin seeds: 1/2

Features:

Cuisine:

Indian

45 mins
Serves 4
Medium

Ingredients

1/2 cup of mung beans or yellow lentils, cooked to mush
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 red chili or chili powder (adjust heat to taste)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (Hing)
6 curry leaves (fresh or dried)
2 chopped onions
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 eggplant (aubergine/brinjal), cubed (when prepared in advance soak cubes in water to avoid discoloration)
1 chopped tomato
1/2 cup of tamarind juice (if unavailable use 2 tbsp tamarind sauce)
1/2 tsp Sugar
A small bunch of chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp of oil (vegetable, coconut or groundnut, avoid olive oil)
1/2 cup of water
salt to taste
For the spice mix:
4 tsp of yellow lentils
2 tsp of coriander seeds
1 dry red chili or chili powder (adjust heat to taste)
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds

How to make Eggplant Gotsu

Cover the mung beans/yellow lentils with enough water (about 2 inches or 5 cm) and cook them to a mush (roughly 15 minutes)
Dry roast the spice mix:

Add all ingredients to a pan (no oil), gently roast for a few minutes or until the lentils start to brown and set aside to cool down.

Heat the oil in the same pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chili.
When the seeds start to sputter, add asafoetida and the curry leaves and stir for one or two minutes. There should be quite an aromatic and pungent flavor coming from the pan.
Add the onions, turmeric, and eggplant and fry for another 2-4 minutes until the onions have softened.
Stir in the tamarind juice and season with salt.
Add the water, mix well and cover the pan
Cook until the eggplant and tomatoes have gone entirely soft (5-8 minutes)
Transfer the cooled spice mix (see step 2) to a blender and grind into a powder.
Add the mushy mung beans/yellow lentils and the spice mix to the simmering sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
The consistency should slightly thick but still runny. Add more water if too thick.
Garnish with the chopped coriander and pour over the rice.

This recipe can be cooked in advance, and the sauce will last for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Enjoy the dish and Happy cooking.