Vankaya Pulusu Pachadi (Andhra Sweet and Sour Eggplant Stew)

1 eggplant

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 dried red chile peppers, broken into pieces

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 pinch asafoetida powder

2 large onions, chopped

3 green chile peppers, chopped

2 sprigs fresh curry leaves

1 ½ cups water

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

¼ cup jaggery (palm sugar)

1 teaspoon white sugar

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground red pepper

salt to taste

Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Coat the outside of the eggplant with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool before coarsely mashing; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet. Fry the dried red chile peppers, cumin seeds, mustard seed, and asafoetida powder in the hot oil until the seeds start to splutter. Add the onions, green chile peppers, and curry leaves; cook and stir until the onions are soft and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir the mashed eggplant, water, tamarind paste, jaggery, white sugar, turmeric, ground red pepper, and salt into the mixture; bring to a boil and cook until the mixture begins to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes.