Vegan MoFo #16: Eggplant, Spinach, and Chickpea Curry

Let me start off with an immodest assertion: this recipe is GOOD. By which I mean not garden variety, "Mmmm, this is good," but the level of goodness that, when you serve it to guests, they are virtually guaranteed to say things like, "How did you make this?" As with so many excellent dishes, the answer is actually very simple: chop stuff, measure it (within reason), pay attention while it's cooking, and above all, don't be afraid to taste and experiment with the seasonings as you go along. Which leads to the burning question: why are people so afraid of asafoetida? Yes, it's strong, strange, and weird as anything on the planet. But. It makes things taste so uniquely delicious that to be timid about it is to deprive yourself of something amazing and delectable. We have an Indian friend who refers to it as devil's dung, but employs it liberally nonetheless, because it really helps a curry achieve that certain "I don't know what."

We are pretty crazy about Indian food in our house, and we have it fairly often. I love leafing through cookbooks of all varieties, but Lord Krishna's Cuisine, by Yamuna Devi and pretty much anything by Madhur Jaffrey are particular favorites. That said, I view recipes less as culinary gospel than as inspirational models to expand upon, and these are no exception. This particular dish had its basis in a recipe from Lord Krishna, but has become so unrecognizable that I won't even bother listing my changes except to say that even if you don't object to dairy, 10 tbsps. of ghee in anything is just over the top. What I will say is that you should make it as soon as possible, and please go right ahead and make it hotter, or more fenugreek-y, or less asafoetida-ish, or whatever suits your fancy, because the combination of eggplant, chickpeas and spinach is so wonderful that you're sure to end up with something delicious.  (I should also add that this recipe makes particularly excellent leftovers; in fact, I've made it a day ahead on several occasions because it gets better as it sits and the flavors blend together.)

Eggplant, Spinach, and Chickpea Curry

Ingredients
~ 1 tbsp. canola oil
~ 1 tsp. each: mustard seeds; cumin seeds
~ 2 cups chopped onion
~ 1 tbsp. each: minced garlic, grated ginger

~ 1 tsp each: salt, coriander, fenugreek powder, cumin, curry powder, garam masala

~ ½ tsp. each: cinnamon, asafoetida, cayenne pepper

~ 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

~ 6 cups diced eggplant

~ 1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, including liquid

~ 1 15 oz. can coconut milk (I prefer the high test to the "lite" here)

~ 1 lb. frozen spinach
~ 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
~ 1 tbsp. canola oil
~ 2 tsp. panch phoran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panch_phoron)

Directions:
~ In a large, deep pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat; add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the seeds begin to sizzle and pop. You might want to be wearing an apron while you do this. And safety goggles. (Just kidding...well, sort of.)
~ Add the onions and cook 5 minutes, until they're just starting to brown, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook a few minutes longer, adding a little water as necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Add the eggplant and the remaining seasonings, stirring to make sure the the vegetables are coated. Cook 5 minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften.
~ Pour in the canned tomatoes and coconut milk, stirring well to combine.
~ Add the spinach and the chickpeas, then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every ten minutes or so to make sure it doesn’t stick or need more liquid. The eggplant should be completely broken down, and the liquid reduced to a thick stew.
~ In a small pot, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. canola oil, and fry the panch phoran for about a minute, just until the seeds begin to pop. Pour this mixture into the curry, and stir to combine.
~ Serve hot over basmati rice, with your favorite spicy pickle and/or chutney on the side.