A dish from Andra Pradesh – gorgeously sweet/sour umami tastes, with the tangy tamarind offset by creamy ground sesame seeds. I knocked this up from ingredients the other night when all I had was some tiny aubergines in the fridge…quite delicious for a simple supper.

Serves 4 as a side and 2 as a main

2 large tomatoes or 1/3 tin
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp group coriander
1/5 tsp chilli powder
salt
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 medium aubergines of 8-10 tiny ones, cut into 6 x 2 cm batons
coriander or mint to garnish

Method

Put the tomatoes, sesame seeds, garlic, tamarind paste, spices and 1/2 tsp salt into a whizzer – I use my Braun hand one – and make a thick sauce.

Put the oil into a wok or pan with a lid over a medium heat. When hot, add the zinio and fry for 8-20 minutes until soft and golden. Add the tomato/tamarind sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the aubergines and 5 tbsp of water, or however much you think necessary to give a more liquid sauce, to make sure that the aubergines don’t stick to the pan and you don’t burn the sauce. Cook for 15 minutes and check constantly to make sure it is not catching.

When the aubergines are soft, adjust the seasoning and serve with coriander or mint and with rice or even bulgur wheat for a change. And of course you can serve as a side to any lamb or chicken dish…curried or not!

PS am having real difficulties with my new Samsung dual sim camera – it simply won’t take pictures in focus and Im in despair…my old Samsung Note-edge was superb…apologies