Borani Banjan (Eggplant in Tomato Sauce over Garlic Yogurt)

Then prep

• Slice the 2 eggplants into 1/2-inch rounds.
• Slice the 1 onion thin. Put it in a bowl.
• Grate the garlic: 3 cloves for the sauce, 1 clove for the yogurt. Keep them in separate bowls.
• Add the 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander and 1/2 tsp chili flakes to the 3 cloves of sauce garlic. This is the spice bowl.
• Open the can of diced tomatoes. Pour it into a bowl with the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 tsp of the salt. This is the tomato bowl.
• Mix the garlic yogurt: 1 cup yogurt, the 1 grated clove, 1/4 tsp salt. Refrigerate.
• Chop the cilantro.
• Set out 2 sheet pans, a pastry brush, tongs, and a large skillet with a lid.
• Everything is ready. Wash the board and put the knife away.

Ingredients

• 2 largeeggplants (about 2 lb), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1/3 cupneutral oil, divided
• 1 tspsalt, divided
• 1onion, thinly sliced
• 3 clovesgarlic, grated (sauce)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 tspred chili flakes
• 1 can (14.5 oz)diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cupwater
• 1 cupwhole-milk plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clovegarlic, grated
• 1/4 tspsalt
• 1 tspdried mint
• fresh cilantro, to serve
• naan, to serve

Steps

1. Brush both sides of the eggplant with 1/4 cup of the oil.
2. Sprinkle the eggplant with 1/2 tsp of the salt.
3. Lay the slices in one layer on the 2 sheet pans.
4. Put the pans in the oven. Set a timer for 20 minutes. The eggplant roasts 20 to 25 minutes and needs one flip partway through. While it roasts, make the sauce in the next steps.
5. Heat the rest of the oil in the large skillet over medium.
6. Add the onion. Set a timer for 6 minutes. Stir now and then. It's done when soft.
7. Add the spice bowl. Stir 1 minute.
8. Add the tomato bowl. Simmer 10 minutes. Set a timer. While it simmers: flip the eggplant slices with tongs.
9. Check the eggplant when its timer goes. It's done when browned and soft. If not, roast a few more minutes, up to 25 minutes total. Take the pans out.
10. When the sauce timer goes, lay the roasted eggplant in the sauce, overlapping.
11. Spoon sauce over the top.
12. Cover. Turn the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes. Set a timer. While it simmers: spread the garlic yogurt on a platter and wash the sheet pans.
13. When the timer goes, check the eggplant. It's done when very soft.
14. Spoon the eggplant and sauce on top of the yogurt.
15. Crumble the 1 tsp dried mint over everything.
16. Add the cilantro.
17. Serve with naan.

Notes

Roasting instead of frying uses far less oil and is the Milk Street shortcut here. Good as a main or a side. These are our own versions in the Milk Street style, not recipes from the book. Written from the standard method, not yet cooked.