Indian Eggplants... Again

Though I have featured this same recipe before, the Indian lunch I made today was picturesque enough to make it to the blog.

From left to right: rasam soup, a plate of sliced tindoras, chiles, cilantro and lime pickle, date chutney, eggplants, and parathas.

I was inspired to make pseudo-Indian after a vegan/vegetarian dinner at Arya Bhavan on Chicago's Devon strip. It wasn't the best Indian food I've ever had, but every menu item has a vegan alternative (unusual for a cuisine which is heavy on the ghee).

The best thing about South Indian: lots of cute little bowls.

After a trip to a nearby grocery in which Indian eggplants abounded, I decided to re-make the dish I featured back in May: fried eggplants with onion-date chutney, served with parathas and homemade rasaam soup.

Indian eggplants at the grocery.

Indian eggplants in my kitchen.

Sous-chef Josh fries eggplants coated in spiced chickpea flour.

One largish YUM.