Heat a pan(preferably, a cast iron or nonstick one) and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
Once the oil is hot, add eggplant cubes and sauté well. Reduce the heat and cover the pan so that eggplants are cooked well. Add salt at this point. (Don’t add a lot of salt as our yogurt sauce will be seasoned too)
Keep sautéing them in intervals to avoid eggplants sticking to the bottom of the pan. Also, keep an eye because eggplants can easily get overcooked.
Once eggplants are soft and brown around the edges, transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Clean the pan and now add, cumin seeds, curry leaves and dry roast both. The leaves should dry out whereas the cumin seeds should swell and turn dark.
After roasting both the ingredients, transfer them to mortal and pestle and crush them to a coarse powder.
Now take a big bowl or dish and add whisked yogurt in it.
Add 1 teaspoon (heaped) of the coarse cumin and curry leaf powder, kala namak or black salt, sugar, salt and grated ginger and mix well.
Taste the yogurt and adjust salt if needed. The yogurt sauce should taste mildly sweet and salty with a hint of ginger and cumin flavor.
Now add eggplants and mix well.
Heat a tadka pan and add remaining of the oil. Add mustard seeds and allow it to pop.
Now add sliced green chilies and the Kashmiri red chili powder, and switch off the heat.
Pour this tadka or tempered seasoning on the mixed yogurt and eggplant dish.
Serve as a side dish with rice and roti.