Pan-Blistered Eggplant with Onion

A perfect curry for a gloomy, cloudy day—the colors certainly match! The good news is that underneath the darkness there is a smoky flavor that is incredibly complex, even with so few ingredients. The cilantro provides a splash of green as well as flavor. Cilantro-haters, however, can leave it out. Tomatoes would both add some color and contribute a mellow acidic element to the sauce: use 1 medium-size tomato, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces, stirring it in after the eggplant has cooked.</