choonth wangan - stewed apples and eggplant

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
• 1 pound eggplant, preferably the small lavender kind, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound granny smith or other tart, crisp aples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
• 1/2 cup tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• pinch cloves, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon asafetida, optional
• - salt, to taste
• - pepper, to taste
• - cilantro, chopped for garnish