Cut and discard the stem end of the eggplant. Cut the remaining eggplant into thick slices, around 1 cm thick. Cut each slice to get 1 cm sized cubes.

In a pressure pan or a heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid, heat 1 tsp oil. Add the fenugreek seeds and saute for 45 seconds or so, until they turn slightly dark in colour.

Add the eggplant cubes, saute for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup water and pressure cook for one whistle. Switch off the stove and allow to cool. (If using a saucepan, cover and cook until eggplant is soft. This could take up to 12-15 minutes.)

Once the cooker is cooled (or once eggplant is cooked, in case using saucepan), remove the eggplant in a colander and allow excess water to drain.

Pound the garlic cloves with a salt, in a mortar pestle, until you get a fairly smooth paste.

Add the garlic paste, chopped green chilli and ground cumin to the yogurt and whisk with a fork.

Mash the cooked and drained eggplant with its skin to a coarse mash and add to the yogurt mix.

Prepare the tempering by heating mustard oil. Add the finely chopped onions and saute on medium high flame until caramelised and brown. Towards the end, add the cumin seeds and dried red chillies to the pan. Once the cumin is aromatic and red chillies turn bright and puffed, the tempering is ready.

Remove the eggplant yogurt mash into a serving bowl and top with the tempering.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. This dish tastes good warm as well as cold.

*To prepare roasted cumin, stir 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds in a pan on low heat until it smells toasty and aromatic, and changes colour to somewhat dark brown. Remove and cool. Grind to a coarse powder in a mortar-pestle or spice-grinder.