Spicy Brinjal Curry

Have you heard of Taste & Create?  It's a community of bloggers who test each others recipes and share links.  Nicole pairs up bloggers, then you visit each other's site, choose a recipe, prepare it, blog about it, and link to the collection of other wonderful recipes.  The collection of recipes is terrific, so check it out.
My partner was PJ from Seduce Your Tastebuds, and seriously, I couldn't have been happier.  I love Indian food, and visiting PJ's site was like a kid's visit to a candy store!  I had such a difficult time deciding which recipe to make, but when I came across this brinjal curry (eggplant curry), my decision was made.  I've made eggplant curry before, but not like this!  I loved the flavors, and I'm always happy to find a new spice, which in this case was asafoetida.  Asafoetida was a totally new spice for me, so I looked it up, and it's also known as hing, devil's dung, or stinking gum.  The flavor is somewhat garlicky-oniony, but the smell, well, don't be put off by it.  Now, asafoetida is not something to be found in a south Louisiana market, but thankfully, there's Spices Inc!  I ordered just a small amount, 1 oz, as you only need a bit.  However, if you don't want to order it, you can always just mix a bit of garlic and onion powder to somewhat simulate the taste. 

I loved this dish!  The flavors burst in your mouth, and you can make it as spicy as you wish.  I followed PJ's recipe exactly, with the exception of leaving out the curry leaves, as I couldn't find them anywhere.  If you're a lover of Indian food, then click here for PJ's authentic and delicious recipes.  And if you want to participate in Taste and Create, click here for more information.