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1
Peel the potatoes and cut them the long way into wedges, 6 to 10 per potato.
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2
Peel the eggplant (salt it if necessary; see page 456) and cut it into similar-sized wedges.
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3
Put the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid over medium heat.
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4
Wait a couple of minutes, then add the chiles, garlic, mustard, and cumin; cook, stirring, until the garlic colors and the mustard seeds pop, a couple of minutes.
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5
Add the potatoes and eggplant, along with 1/4 cup water and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and cover.
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6
Cook for about 10 minutes, checking once or twice and adding a little water if necessary, until the vegetables begin to soften.
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7
Remove the cover and raise the heat to medium-high.
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8
Cook, stirring occasionally, until both potatoes and eggplant brown nicely and become completely tender, another 10 to 15 minutes.
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9
Add the onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and begins to brown, another 5 minutes or so.
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10
Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.
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11
You can make these with or without the eggplant: In step 3, add 2 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes about 2 minutes after adding the onion.
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12
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break up, about 5 minutes.
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13
Serve as directed.
