Dry roast the coconut until golden and fragrant. Coconut goes from golden to burnt in matter of seconds, so keep an eye on it at all times. Remove from the pan and once cooled, grind it into a smooth paste adding enough water.
Heat 2tbsp oil (I used coconut oil), in a saute pan; add onions and cook until lightly browned around the edges. Next add ginger+garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chopped eggplant and turmeric. Cover the pan and cook until the veggie is tender, about 8~10 minutes.
Next add the tomatoes, ground coriander and red chili powder. Mix well, cover and cook until tomatoes are mushy, about 2~3 minutes.
Finally add the ground coconut paste, salt and garam masala. Add some water if the curry looks too thick. Simmer for 2~3 minutes. Sprinkle some toasted coconut and serve with steamed rice or roti.