Name: Relish of Pickled Eggplant/Aubergine (‘Anbat Betinjan)
Yield: Makes about 2 cups/475 ml
Cuisine: Iraqi
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; ½ tablespoon arrowroot, diluted in a little cold water; ½ cup (125 ml) cider vinegar; ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil 1½ teaspoons uniodized salt; 3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into chunks; 1 medium to large eggplant/aubergine (about 16 oz/450 g); 1 heaped tablespoon curry powder; ½ teaspoon crushed hot chili, or to taste; 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips 2 in/5 cm long and ¼ in/6 mm wide; ½ cup (125 ml) water; 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger

Preparation info

Makes about
2 cups

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Delights from the Garden of Eden

By Nawal Nasrallah

Published 2019

About

‘Anba/‘amba is a popular condiment in Iraq (for more on its uses and popularity). It is usually made from pickled green mangos, kept in wide-mouthed bottles and imported exclusively from India. In recent years, however, and during the imposed economic embargo, people were forced to make do with many substitutes. Here is one of them. Eggplant is used instead of green mangos to make this delicious and appetizing relish. An inventive friend of mine, N