Eggplant with a Tamarind-Chile Sauce

Tamilian goshtus are coarsely mashed stews of vegetables like shallots, eggplant, or both—tamarind-tart and chile-hot in flavor. This goshtu, even though it is not mashed, has that appearance due to the eggplant’s consistency, which naturally breaks down into a pulpy mass. You can mash the eggplant with the back of a spoon for a pulpier look, but I prefer the chunky-smooth texture.