Mis en place is a term in cooking which means everything in its place— before you cook.  This is one thing that I’ve picked up from my husband.  I used to be a bit rash in my cooking and not have everything prepared before I began to cook but that can be tricky especially when cooking with ingredients that need to be added in quick succession.  

I needed to use up the remaining chicken thighs that I’d used in the previous night’s dinner and I also had some eggplant I wanted to use.  I found a Mark Bittman recipe that I thought sounded delicious.  It was a vegetarian dish but you can add meat to it.  I added the chicken; lamb would be perfect too.  It is something that can’t just be thrown together without prior prep, but it’s worth it!  You will need to have all the spices mixed, the ginger, garlic, veggies and chicken chopped prior to cooking.  It takes about an hour. 

Mark Bittman’s Curried Coconut Eggplant with Potatoes (and Chicken)

I cut the recipe in half because I only had one eggplant.  I also added one small zucchini.  It was enough for the 4 of us plus there were leftovers for 2.    This is the original recipe:

•  2 med to lg eggplants
• salt
• neutral oil (I used sunflower)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (adjust for kids)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger (I kept this measurement)
• 2 tsp sliced garlic
• 3 large tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded and chopped (I used 1 lg & 1 sm)
• 3 lg potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used 3 med & one small)
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk (you might need to add more depending on consistency)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• minced fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Prep the eggplant first by peeling, cubing and salting.  While draining mix the spices, (I ground the coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle.)  Then mince the ginger, slice the garlic, and peel and cut them the potatoes.  Mix all the spices together then prepare the tomatoes. (To peel slice an X into the bottom, dunk into boiling water for around 20 seconds then put into ice bath.  Skin will come right off).  Put oil and mustard seeds into a pan over medium heat and cover for about 3 minutes when they began to pop.  Add rest of spices, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring often until the ginger and garlic are soft.  Next add tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, chicken and coconut milk.  Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring every so often.  Add chicken  and cook for another 15 minutes. (While that was simmering I put the rice on so it would be ready at same time.)  Add zucchini (optional) and if necessary some more coconut milk, salt and pepper then continue cooking for about 15 minutes (uncovered).  Once time is up, stir in the lime juice and serve over rice. 

You can also cook the rice in coconut milk (half water, half coconut milk) if you’d like.

My sons loved it!  I loved it!  My eldest liked it so much that he finished his brother’s after he’d devoured all of his!   It was a bit spicy for my middle son but he ate it with a mix of pleasure and pain and lots of water.  I hadn’t adjusted the cayenne but noted it for the future.