Imran is my mate.
Imran taught me how to cook aubergines.
I have always loved aubergines but until I met my mate in Saudi Arabia I was never able to cook them without them turning into a slimy mess or tasting bitter. I had tried many recipes from various books without success and had come to the conclusion that aubergines were tricky little devils requiring any combination of salting, sweating, roasting, pricking with a fork or peeling before cooking and were therefore best left well alone by the amateur cook.
Imran changed all that by showing me this simple recipe and I am eternally grateful to him. I am no longer afraid of aubergines and have since successfully experimented with many other ways of cooking them, although this remains one of my favourites. Here it is:
500g Aubergines
3 Tomatoes
1 Green pepper
1 onion (peeled)
1 or 2 green chillies (only if you like things really hot)
Vegetable oil
1/3 teaspoon of red chilli powder
Salt
Always choose firm well-coloured aubergines. Avoid those which are wrinkled or soft (the skin should feel smooth and taut).
The secret of this recipe is in the method of frying - everything goes into the pan at the same time. Chop all the vegetables except the aubergines - you don't have to be too fussy about the size of pieces - and put them to one side. Have the aubergines handy but don't cut them up yet, as they tend to go brown quickly when exposed to air. First put some oil in a big heavy frying pan and you can prepare the aubergines while it is warming up. Use a lot of oil - about half a centimetre deep in the pan. You can always pour off any excess before serving (keep it for later use. It tastes delicious).
Cut large aubergines into quarters lengthwise and small ones in half. Then cut the sections into 5 centimetre pieces. By the time you have done this, the oil should be hot. Time to chuck all the vegetables into the pan. Stir and turn the vegetables until everything is covered with oil. Sprinkle on the salt and chilli and stir a little more to distribute them evenly. It is important to be gentle with aubergines or they will break up before they finish cooking.
By now things will be sizzling and there will be liquid in the pan from the tomatoes. Cover the pan (leaving a space for steam to escape) and cook on a fairly high flame for about 5 minutes. Check occasionally to see if there is still liquid. When all the liquid has boiled off, turn the heat down low, stir the ingredients very gently and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. Don't worry if things stick to the pan a little - it all adds to the taste. When this dish is ready the aubergines should be tender, the onions should be transparent and partially browned and the contents of the pan should have reduced by about half. Serve with boiled rice, potato cutlets, pitta bread, chappatis or any other kind of flat bread.
PS. Imran also told me, and I know he is right because I tried it, this is an excellent way of cooking okra (ladies fingers). Follow the steps above substituting fresh okra cut into 2 centimetre pieces, for the aubergines. Be just as frugal with the stirring as okra can go slimy too. I haven't included this as a separate recipe as fresh okra doesn't seem to be so widely available. Don't even think of trying this recipe with the rubbish that comes in tins.