This is a seriously yummy side dish! It is also perfect for hot summer days as it is chilled before eating. I love to spoon it over plain rice or dip crispy poppadums in it.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 large onion chopped very fine
- 1 large tomato chopped very fine
- 2 green chillies chopped very fine (optional)
- 7-8 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander
- 2 tbsps mustard oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened fresh, thick yogurt - whisked till smooth
Preparation:
- Roast the eggplant on an open fire (medium flame), till all the skin is burnt and the eggplant looks soft.
- Peel off the burnt skin and remove the top/stem of the eggplant.
- Mash the eggplant roughly, in a mixing bowl.
- Add the mustard oil, onion, tomato, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice and mix well.
- Heat a flat pan/ griddle on medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Roast, stirring often to prevent burning. Do not raise heat as some seeds will burn while others remain raw. Roast till the seeds are just slightly darker and aromatic. When done, remove from heat and grind in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
- Add the yogurt to the prepared eggplant mash (above) and stir to blend well. Cover with cling wrap and chill in refrigerator for roughly 30 minutes.
- When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the roasted, ground cumin powder over the Raita and serve.
