Saag with Aubergine Raita

This is a simple duo of dishes from the frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan. That alone is enough to make this a very exciting prospect to the boy. Unusually he wants to help, but there’s really not that much to do. So he’s making the saag and I’m doing the aubergines.

Saag

6tsp oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped

1tsp salt

½ tsp cumin

1 can chopped tomatoes

750g spinach, washed and chopped

We have time to do this properly so the boy is toasting the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan, and then bashing them in a mortar, until roughly ground. Remind him to wash his hands after chopping the chillies. We remember what happened last time!

He’s going to fry the garlic and chillies in the oil, very gently so the garlic doesn’t burn. When it is soft, in go the cumin, salt and tomatoes. When the tomato has thickened and most of the water has evaporated, he will add the spinach. And stir fry until most of its liquid has gone as well. A pan with fairly deep sides will help.

Aubergine Raita

750g Aubergines, in 1cm thick slices

Oil for frying – hard to say how much you need for aubergines

500ml full fat yoghurt

1tsp ground cumin

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ tsp salt

8 mint leaves

1tsp garam masala

I’m making this one but taking two shortcuts as I’m cooking and telling the boy how to make his dish at the same time. I’m enjoying his enthusiasm. I’m adding my garlic to his quota for chopping, and my cumin to his for toasting and grinding.

Fry the aubergine slices until soft. He’s still simmering down his tomatoes so we’re both trying to use the stove at the same time. We keep bumping each other’s pans off centre which for some reason makes us laugh. It’s a good feeling.

Okay mine’s done while the boy is still cooking his spinach down. Lay the aubergine slices, overlapping in a serving dish.

Whisk everything else except the garam masala together. Pour over the aubergines and allow it to rest for an hour.

The saag could do with a rest too. When you’re ready to eat, warm some rotis through in a hot, dry frying pan. We have a special pan just for rotis and chapattis. Let them blister and bubble and keep them warm in a napkin. Get the boy to warm his saag through. Sprinkle the raita with the garam masala

We’re done. He’s proud of his dish, as he should be. The dry spinach goes well with the soft aubergines and yoghurt.