Don’t judge it by its looks- Spaghetti in Aubergine Sauce.

There is no way to make it look good. Grey, gooey and bleh, its looks really don't do justice to the velvety deliciousness it packs. Yes, I just compared food to the royal choice of textile for curtains. I used a recipe from Francis Lam. I topped it with pine nuts, a nutty flavour and crunch rounds off the dish nicely.

Spaghetti in aubergine sauce. You will need-

500 grams aubergine/eggplant/ brinjal/ baingan cut into ½ inch slices

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed (I used 5 )

2 springs thyme or oregano, chopped ( I used dried)

1 cup water (or liquid stock if you want to pack in flavour)

2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced (optional)

6 leaves basil

Salt and pepper

500 grams long pasta – spaghetti, linguini.

(Tip- Lightly salt the slices of eggplant, stack them back together and let it all hang out for about 20 minutes. This will season it and water will drip out, allegedly removing the bitterness, if it’s there.)

1. Put the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves and set over low heat. The idea is to flavour the oil, so don't worry if the garlic don't start sizzling immediately.
2. Add eggplants when you hear the garlic start to sizzle. Stir well to coat oil as evenly as you can. 
3. Turn up the heat to medium high. Add thyme or oregano, basil and stir. When the eggplant is turning translucent and softening, add water/stock, let it come to a boil and turn it back down to medium-low. Let it bubble for a bit and cover it, leaving a crack for steam to escape. Stir once in a while so that the bottom doesn’t stick.
4. Meanwhile, bring water to boil, salt it, and cook your pasta, al dente of course.
5. Check on your eggplant. The liquid should be mostly absorbed or reduced. Mash it with a fork or spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Drain pasta and toss with eggplant puree. Stir minced sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a starter.