On My Plate (OMP) is a series in which I share with you what I’m eating. I like simple everyday food. OMP features things put together because I need to clean out the fridge or pantry; things made in a hurry, making do with what is there; and things I have seen, heard, or read about and decided to give a try (that are not complicated). It is also about what I am having when I don’t feel like cooking.
On My Plate today is a fry up of fire-roasted baigan (eggplant), aloo (potatoes) and smoked herring. Here is how this finger-licking, lip-smacking mishmash came about.
Over the years I have devised ways of prepping and storing certain things so that they are convenient and that when I am in a rush, I do not have to do everything from scratch (which can be time consuming). I also prep and preserve things when they are in season and there is a glut on the market. One of the things I do (which I wrote telling you about years ago), is fire-roast eggplant and store the lot in sealed glass jars in the refrigerator. This way, when I want to make choka, dip, spread or sauté it with potatoes, eddoes or use it to thicken or add body to a stew or curry, it is always there. Another thing I do is to have a container of pre-soaked salt fish or smoked fish that has had most of the salt removed so that a fry up, a choka, buljol or filling is quick and easy to prepare.
Getting back to today’s dish. There was about a cup full of the roasted eggplant remaining in the jar and I had 3 potatoes leftover from holiday baking that needed to be used up. There were 3 fillets of smoked herring in the container in the refrigerator. Each of the ingredients was not enough on their own to make individual dishes so I did the next thing I could think of – a fry-up with all three. Chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, and hot peppers formed the base; they were cooked in heated oil, first on high heat, then low heat until soft, the tomatoes becoming pulpy and mashing easily along with the garlic with the back of a spoon. For a bit of colour, I added some ground turmeric and let it meld with the other ingredients.
Turning the heat to medium, I added the peeled chopped potatoes, mixed them with the aromatics along with salt to taste and let that cook for 4 minutes, tossing only once. Tablespoons of the roasted eggplant were plopped over the potatoes and shredded bits of the smoked herring were scattered on top. Everything was given a good toss to mix well, covered tightly, the heat reduced to low and left to cook for 20 minutes. At the end of the 20 minutes, I checked that the potatoes were cooked through as I had cut them into large chunks. The dish was given a gentle toss, and just before turning off the heat, I added some chopped fresh cilantro/coriander (green onions/scallions would work too), folded them in and shut off the heat.
I am not exaggerating when I say that this dish was finger-licking-lip-smacking good. The smokiness from the fire-roasted eggplant and smoked herring made it ridiculously inviting. The aroma combined with the taste, made it so very good. Absolutely delicious. I ate it first with plain white Basmati rice with some mango achar and licked my fingers! The next day, I had it with paratha roti and a big cup of tea.
It never ceases to amaze me how dishes like these – thrown together, using up what is there – turn out to be so first-rate in taste. That’s the magic of cooking, I guess. One day I am going to set out to deliberately make this combo again. I hope it tastes just as good.
What have you thrown/put together lately? What have you made with your holiday leftovers that you might like to share? I’d like to hear.
Cynthia
cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
