Potato, eggplant and okra sabzi

This is my mom's recipe and it is sort of an Indian ratatouille. This is a dish that I never liked as a kid. My mom made this dish with a few leftover potatoes, round Indian eggplant and okra for an end-of-week meal. This left-over connotation put me off. But as an adult, this dish is something that I have started to love because of the different textures and interesting flavors that come together so well. If you do not have the small Indian eggplant, zucchini is a great substitute since it offers the same melting softness. Potatoes are the foundation of this dish and the okra gives a crunchy bite to it while onions and eggplant create a sweet accent.

Potato, eggplant and okra sabzi

2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, minced
4-6 small round Indian eggplant, sliced lengthwise (you should get 8 slices from each)
10 whole okra, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
salt

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp oil

Heat oil and add cumin and mustard seeds and let splutter. Add onion and saute until soft and starting to brown. Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric along with a sprinkling of water. Saute potatoes alone for 1 min. Now add the eggplant and okra. Also add the cayenne and a generous sprinkle of water. Cover tightly and let the vegetables cook until all the three types of veggies are tender. Now mix in the garam masala and cook uncovered until all the remaining water evaporates. Serve with rotis or rice.