Eggplant, Tomato, Yogurt

Source: Taunton’s Fine Cooking Magazine, Dec/Jan 1995 No. 6

Ingredients

• Vegetable Oil
• 2 Yellow Onions (about 2 C.) Sliced Thin
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 32 ounces Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• 6 ounces Tomato Paste
• 1½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 Green Pepper, Cored, Seeded Into 4″ bits
• 16 ounces Plain Yogurt
• 4 each Garlic, Minced
• 2 large Unpeeled Eggplants, Sliced Into ½″ Rounds
• 2 Dried Mint, Crushed

Method

Heat ¼ c oil in large saucepan until hot. Add the onions and saute them, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric and stir to coat the onions. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and 1½ tsp salt then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring often to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning, until all the water evaporates and the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Keep the sauce warm while you proceed.

Whisk together the yogurt and garlic in a bowl, add the remaining 1 tsp salt and set aside.

Cook the eggplant by frying or broiling. To fry, heat ½ c of oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, slide in as many eggplant slices as can fit in single layer. Cook til bottom is soft and brown, about 4 minutes per side. Once browned, remove from pan and add to tomato sauce. Repeat til all eggplant is done. If broiling, brush with oil, arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Broil til browned and soft on top, flip, brush with oil and brown about 4 minutes per side. When all eggplant is in sauce, shake til covered. Can remove the green pepper if desired. Keep warm over low heat.

To assemble, spread ¼ of yogurt mixture on bottom of deep, flat serving dish or platter. Using flat spatula, dish out the eggplant and sauce mixture and spread over the yogurt. Drizzle the rest of the yogurt mixture on top. Sprinkle the dried mint over the yogurt and serve.