Curried Eggplant with Potatoes and Rooftop Green Beans
2009 August 21
It’s hard to admit to being trendy, but, yes, I started a vegetable garden on my roof this year. I also live in Brooklyn. I also own a road bike. I also like to, not ironically, drink Budweiser. Certain signs point to hipster but don’t forget the #1 rule of hipsterdom: be repulsed at the trends you knowingly subscribe to.
So while I may roll my eyes at everyone that also started growing vegetables this year, ultimately it is about eating better, eating right, and eating with fervor. And I do believe gardening is more than a trend. I believe it is a fundamental shift in the way we think about food – growing your own produce, accepting that good food costs more, and planning on more time in the kitchen.
The other shift: allowing the food and the natural local growing season dictate what’s for dinner. Sometimes you want a mango in February. That’s fine. But once in a while, more than you already do, let the green market or your garden do the cooking. For North Easterners that means becoming real friendly with root vegetables in the off-season. Still, it’s a fun challenge that saves you from wandering the aisles or Epicurious completely overwhelmed.
And to that, I present the first dish made with my first vegetable garden harvest: Curried Eggplant with Potatoes and Green Beans, with the green beans being my garden’s proud contribution.
Curried Eggplant with Potatoes and Green BeansAdapted from How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
2 medium Eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (salt if like)
30 green beans
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
1/2 stick butter
3 large tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped (see below on how to core, peel, and seed tomatoes)
3 large potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup water; add more if needed
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced cilantro for garnish
1. Over medium heat, cook the oil and mustard seeds in a deep skillet, pot or casserole, until the seeds start to pop, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the remaining spices, ginger, garlic, and butter and cook until the ginger and garlic soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, green beans, salt, pepper, and about one cup of water. To prevent over-watering, do not underestimate the moisture from the tomatoes. Turn heat to medium-low and cover, stirring once or twice over 30 minutes.
4. Remove cover and turn the heat to medium. Let it cook uncovered for another 15 minutes. Add more water as needed.
5. Stir in lime juice
6. Garnish and serve. I served it over Jasmine rice but any number of combinations would be great.
TO CORE, PEEL, AND SEED TOMATOES
1. Cut a small wedge into the top of the tomato where the fruit used to hang from the vine. Remove core.
2. Cut a little x into the other (bottom) side of the tomato and place in a boiling pot of water for thirty seconds.
3. Remove from water. Skin should now peel off easily.
4. Cut the tomato in half and either by squeezing or digging with your finger, scrap out seeds. If you want to save the juice do this over a strainer.
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Bravo, I think this is a great idea