Kurma

Commenting on my Team-Building Luncheon, Sudakaran Sangaran writes:

"Your class participants are always a happy bunch.
Care to share the recipe for the hot and sweet eggplant pickles?"

Here it is:

Hot & Sweet Eggplant Pickles

This tender and delicious pickle from Maharastra is simultaneously hot sweet and sour. Select firm fresh eggplants for best results. Makes 3 cups.

450g eggplants, about 3 medium
½ cup peanut oil
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
½ cup apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground roasted cumin seeds

Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut them into wedges, ensuring each wedge has some skin on it.

Heat the oil over moderate heat in a wok until fairly hot. Drop in the ginger and saute for 1 minute, or until aromatic. Sprinkle in the yellow asafetida powder, saute momentarily then add the eggplant, salt and cayenne. Stir-fry the eggplants constantly for about 10 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft enough to pierce with a knife.

Add the vinegar or lemon juice, and the sugar. Reduce the heat and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the eggplants are very tender. Sprinkle in the ground cumin seeds, and remove the pickle from the heat. Allow to cool then serve.