Many, many years, I took cooking classes from a lovely lady named Jaya. She was a practicing Jain so many of her recipes are suitable for vegans. All are delicious. The below is adapted from her original.
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 medium eggplant
- 7 Tbs oil
- 2 Tbs whole coriander seeds
- 2 tsp chana dal (yellow split peas)
- 2 hot dried red peppers
- 3/4 inch of cinnamon
- pinch asfetida
- 3 Tbs desiccated unsweetened coconut
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- Prepare rice in rice cooker.
- Dice eggplant into 2 inch long, 1/2 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbs oil in a small heavy skillet. When hot, add coriander seeds, chana dal, red peppers and cinnamon. When spices darken slightly, add asfetida and stir for a minute. Remove spices to a small plate.
- In the same skillet, saute coconut until golden. Remove to the spice plate and allow to cool.
- Heat 5 Tbs of oil in a skillet or wok on medium heat. When hot add eggplant and stir-fry 5-8 minutes until soft and shiny. Remove to a plate.
- Grind coconut and spices in a spice mill or electric grinder to a fine powder.
- Combine lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, turmeric and 2 Tbs of water in a small pot. Boil then turn heat to low and simmer 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Add lemon juice mixture, spice mix and eggplant to rice. Mix well with light hands. Reheat dish in a skillet set on low or in the microwave prior to serving. But this dish is also tasty cold.