Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard, urad seeds and curry leaves.
Let the mustard seeds pop (to prevent the urad seeds from burning, add the mustard and urad only when the oil is hot so you don’t have to wait very long for the popping).
Add the chopped onions, asafoetida and some salt to help cook the onions faster.
Cook on med heat until the onions start turning golden brown.
Add the cut tomatoes and eggplant, together with all ground spices (coriander, turmeric, chili powder). You can add additional salt if required.
Mix all the vegetables and spices together.
Cook with lid on for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are mushy and the eggplant is almost cooked. The quantity reduces by almost half.
Cook without the lid for another 10 minutes, stirring every once in a while to prevent burning, until the mixture is dry and dark
Turn off the heat and serve with hot rice and yogurt or a simple dal/ rasam side!
