Tamil eggplant & chickpea curry - recipe is from a restaurant run by a group of Tamil (Sri Lankan) asylum seekers in Melbourne. The eggplant is chopped, mixed with turmeric and salt, then lightly fried and removed, sauté mustard, fennel and cumin seeds, add onions, garlic and chilli, a can of chickpeas and it’s liquid, the eggplant and tamarind paste. Garnish with coriander.
Next to it is a mallum (mallung, or some other spelling) of kale. Another Sri Lankan dish, almost any green leafy veggie can be mallumed. In a saucepan put finely chopped onion, chopped leafy green of choice, chopped green chilli, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp Maldive fish powder, salt and juice of half a lemon. Moisten with water if necessary, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, then add a few spoonfuls of desiccated coconut. This dish works well cold as a salad too.
Seen here with some of yesterday’s dal, ghee rice and a blob of pickle.
