Once as a very young man, I walked into a health food store that was run by one of those formidable New Age earth mother types whose moral superiority in the realm of nutrition–which she considered an extension of her deep-seated beliefs in The Great Mother and Her Bosom of Beneficence–was further exaggerated by just being an asshole herself. When I asked her where she kept the curry, she literally sniffed, tilted her nose towards the tie-dyed bed sheets on the ceiling and said, “I’m sure you make your own. If you’ll give me your recipe, I’ll show you where to find the ingredients.”
So I fumbled in my pockets and mumbled something about leaving the recipe my friend Rupta had given me at home before beating a retreat and hitting the books only to discover that curry is indeed not a singular spice or seasoning, but a combination of any given number of ingredients with endless variations. Still, that experience cooled my tenuous relationship with curries–my experiences with earth mothers was more extensive, and on the whole much more . . . positive–and though I have read Madhur Jaffre’s pontifications on the subject, I’ve achieved the sophistication of making my own blend. Granted, curry isn’t a spice mixture I use very often, but I love a curried chicken, and it’s wonderful with eggplant and okra, so having a blend on hand occasionally works for me.
Peel and halve (or cut into thick slices, depending on the size) six small or two large eggplants, brush liberally with oil (I don’t recommend olive oil for this recipe, nor ghee or what passes for it in your world; if you’re picky about it–and God help you if you are–use peanut oil), dust with pepper and place in a very hot oven until browned and soft. For this recipe you’ll need about three cups of cooked eggplant. Sauté about two pounds 26-30 count shrimp with a chopped a small onion, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 small mild peppers. Don’t use a bell if you can help it; even a poblano is better. Add eggplant and season with your favorite curry. Blend with a cup to two of weak stock to the consistency of a thick gumbo . Bake in a medium (350) oven until reduced by half.
