Bengali Eggplant with Mustard Seeds

1 large eggplant--1 to 1 1/2 pounds, tip cut off and cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2 T black mustard seeds, powdered in a coffee grinder
1 C+ water
1/4 t cayenne pepper
4-5 T mustard oil1 T panch pharon mix (equal parts of whole cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mustard, kalunji seeds)
1 C yogurt
1 1/2 t saltsprinkle black pepper, cardamon powder (optional)

Soak ground mustard seed and cayenne in one cup of water. Cut up eggplantinto cubes. Heat mustard oil, put in panch pharon mix and after a few secondsadd the black mustard/cayenne water. This will splatter so have a coverready. Add eggplant and cook. You will probably need to add additional wateras the eggplant cooks to keep its level about the same, perhaps another cup. Cover it for the lastten minutes. When the eggplant is cooked add a cup of yogurt and the salt, mix and heat upyogurt, but do not boil. Sprinkle a tiny bit of black pepper and cardamon over the top if you want. This dish also tastes good cold the next day. Variation: Anasua Munshi tells me that in his grandmother's village theymake this without the yogurt, substituting green chillis for cayenne and usingonly fennel for the panch pharon mixture.