Name: Eggplant with Apples, Fennel & Black Cumin (Kashmiri Baingan)
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt; 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (see Tips); 2 teaspoons fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems; 2 large tart-sweet apples, such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 small eggplants (about 8 ounces each), stems removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Tips); 4 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed; 2 tablespoons mustard oil or canola oil; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground

Preparation info

Serves
8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

Wild apples studded the northwestern Himalayas in Kashmir in the 19th century. A variety known as the Wilson, large and juicy, made its appearance around 1850, and today the Red and Golden Delicious varieties are more popular in the marketplace. Apples, having made their way into many of Kashmir’s dishes, provide a great source of tartness. In this curry fennel seeds sneak in some mellow sweetness, while black cumin, also known as shahjeera (royal cumin), provides a hint of bitternes