Bouranee Banjan

Daphne asked me to post this dish and let me just say that it might be one of the best things you'll eat in your lifetime. It is my all-time favorite dish from Afghanistan and the reason I will forever believe that the Afghans were blessed with the most delicious cuisine in the world. They turn simple ingredients into world wonders.

This is a perfect summer dish - especially now with eggplants and tomatoes in season (in fact, I might just go out to my garden this evening and put this together).

You'll have to forgive the chaos of the recipe ... I never really had a recipe for this (I just watched several of my students make it) and I often make slight changes depending on what I have available or what mood I'm in.

Bouranee Banjan (Eggplant With Yogurt Sauce)

3 medium eggplants

Salt

Vegetable oil for frying (or brushing with oil if baking)*

2 medium onions; sliced thin

Several ripe tomatoes (Roma are the best) (I seem to use about 5-7 tomatoes usually)

1/4 cup water

coriander (ground)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Fresh cilantro (or mint, depending on your mood or what you like. If I use mint, I tend to use dried mint with just a bit of fresh ... otherwise its too overpowering)

2 cups lebene (yogurt found in Persian/Indian markets; or just use plain yogurt)

2 cloves garlic

Cut the stems from eggplants and peel. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spread on a tray and sprinkle slices liberally with salt. Leave for at least 30 minutes, then rinse with water and pat dry.

Pour enough oil into a deep frying pan to cover base well. Fry eggplant until lightly browned on each side. Set aside on a cooling rack (with cookie sheet or plate underneath) when browned.

Add more oil to pan as required for remaining slices.

Place a layer of eggplant into a dutch oven. Top with some sliced onion, and tomato slices. Sprinkle liberally with salt and coriander. Repeat layering with eggplant, onion, tomato, salt and coriander until all vegetables are used.

Pour in any remaining oil from eggplant. Add water, pepper (and maybe turmeric if you feel like it).

Cover and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to evaporate the excess liquid. (I also do this on the stove sometimes. Just bring the water to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. If there is a lot of excess water, simmer with the lid off for awhile longer to reduce liquid.)

Combine lebene, garlic cloves, cilantro (or mint) and salt, and spread half of the sauce into base of serving dish. Carefully lift eggplant, onions and tomatoes (to keep the layers intact) and place on the serving dish.

Top eggplant with remainder of lebene. Sprinkle top with dried mint leaves or fresh cilantro. Serve with fresh flat bread.

*If you would like to bake the eggplant slices, brush with oil, place on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath, and bake at 350 until lightly browned. I'll be honest though - the pan fried version is SO much better and authentic. I do the baked version when I'm feeling like I need to kick a few calories.