‘Sour vegetables’

The sourness announced in the recipe title comes chiefly from the tamarind. Make sure that enough tamarind water is used, and that it is good and strong. In some dishes, tamarind can be replaced by lemon juice, but not here. An acceptable substitute, however, is rhubarb. You need a piece of rhubarb about 10 cm (4″) long, chopped into small pieces and put in together with the aubergine.