Spiced Eggplant Stew

Directions

1. 1
   Wipe the eggplants, cut the stems from them, and cut them into fat chunks.
2. 2
   The dish will be more interesting to eat if you dont cut them too small.
3. 3
   Put them into a colander, set in the sink, and sprinkle sea salt over them.
4. 4
   Leave them for a good half hour, longer if you can.
5. 5
   Peel and coarsely chop the onions, then cook them with the oil in a large pan over medium heat until they are soft, translucent, and sweet.
6. 6
   While the onions are cooking, crush the cardamom pods with the flat blade of a knife or a rolling pin and shake out the little black seeds into a mortar or spice grinder (or a clean coffee grinder).
7. 7
   Add the coriander seeds and the peppercorns and grind them to a coarse powder.
8. 8
   The smell as you grind will convince you that there is much to be missed in buying ready-ground spices.
9. 9
   Thinly slice the garlic.
10. 10
    Peel the ginger and cut it into thin, matchsticklike shards.
11. 11
    Stir the garlic and ginger into the onions along with the turmeric and ground spices.
12. 12
    Peel and seed the tomatoes and add them to the pan.
13. 13
    Rinse the eggplants of their salt and pat dry.
14. 14
    Without oiling them, grill them on a ridged cast-iron grill pan until they are starting to soften and have dark grill lines across them.
15. 15
    Turn them as you go, so that they are cooked on both sides, removing them as they are ready and replacing them with another batch.
16. 16
    Add them to the onions, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
17. 17
    Add the coconut milk, chiles, and a little salt and continue cooking at a simmer for about forty-five minutes.
18. 18
    The eggplants should be very soft and silky but not actually falling apart.
19. 19
    Lift out the eggplants, tomatoes, and some of the onion with a slotted spoon.
20. 20
    Reduce the rest of the sauce by boiling hard for five minutes or so.
21. 21
    Now ladle most, but not all, of the sauce into a blender and blitz until smooth and thick (take care to cover the top before you turn it on, the sauce is very hot).
22. 22
    Return the vegetables and the sauce to the pot, then chop the mint and cilantro leaves and stir them in, together with a final seasoning of salt and black pepper.
23. 23
    Serve with rice.