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1
Wipe the eggplants, cut the stems from them, and cut them into fat chunks.
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2
The dish will be more interesting to eat if you dont cut them too small.
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3
Put them into a colander, set in the sink, and sprinkle sea salt over them.
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4
Leave them for a good half hour, longer if you can.
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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.
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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).
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7
Add the coriander seeds and the peppercorns and grind them to a coarse powder.
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8
The smell as you grind will convince you that there is much to be missed in buying ready-ground spices.
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9
Thinly slice the garlic.
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10
Peel the ginger and cut it into thin, matchsticklike shards.
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11
Stir the garlic and ginger into the onions along with the turmeric and ground spices.
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12
Peel and seed the tomatoes and add them to the pan.
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13
Rinse the eggplants of their salt and pat dry.
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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.
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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.
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16
Add them to the onions, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil.
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17
Add the coconut milk, chiles, and a little salt and continue cooking at a simmer for about forty-five minutes.
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18
The eggplants should be very soft and silky but not actually falling apart.
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19
Lift out the eggplants, tomatoes, and some of the onion with a slotted spoon.
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20
Reduce the rest of the sauce by boiling hard for five minutes or so.
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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).
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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.
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23
Serve with rice.
