Cinnamon and Turmeric Aubergine Fingers

Name: Cinnamon and Turmeric Aubergine Fingers
Yield: Serves 4–6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons ground turmeric; 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds; 6 heaped tablespoons thick, creamy yogurt; 3 aubergines, each halved lengthways right through the stalk and then cut into 6–8 long thin fingers; 2 x 400 ml/14 fl oz tins of coconut milk, beaten with a whisk; 1–2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tablespoon runny honey (plus more for drizzling); 2 teaspoons pul biber, Aleppo chilli, or finely chopped dried red chilli; zest and juice of 1 lime (use 2 limes if not very juicy); a fistful of fresh or dried curry leaves; a handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon; salt; 1–2 tablespoons coconut oil

With Lime Yogurt

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Spirit & Spice

By Ghillie Basan

Published 2019

About

Inspired by a street dish I had in Kerala, I first created this dish for Radio Scotland’s Kitchen Café. It is a delicious way to prepare aubergines and full of surprise, so much so they were described as ‘orgasmic’ by the effervescent Haitian broadcaster and food anthropologist Peggy Brunache, who felt she was cheating on her husband by eating them!

Ingredients

Main course
Vegetarian
Gluten-free

Cinnamon and Turmeric Aubergine Fingers

With Lime Yogurt

Ingredients

Method

Photos