JFI-Sweet ‘n’ spicy Brinjals

Indian Brinjals;after all they too are "egg" plants...placed on a real bird's forbidden nest in my garden,the birds are off but I replaced this real nest back on the tree,hoping for their next visit!.

Brinjals, rightly named as the King of veggies in South India ,belong to the category of easy to prepare,tasty and that can be mixed up into a real wide variety of dishes.Boiled,smoked,grilled,mashed,stuffed,curried and the list goes on and on…

Believed to help in lowering the cholesterol levels of the blood,the cooked vegetable does hold the complaints of its sliminess,having not much of nutritive value and fibre content etc,but it’s definitely popular due to its availability, lightness and delicacy in dishes.

I simply ventured preparing the dish using the Indian Brinjals, seeing the wide Hindustani varieties.As Indiraji,the brain behind this monthly event, votes more for Indian..:),I chose the pale green local varietied ones ultimately entering JFI-eggplants hosted by Sangeetha of Ghar Ka Ghana!.

How does this soft veg turn when boiled lightly,sauted and left soaked in saucy,spicy,sweetish ingredients?Thatz where this “easy to make” recipe leads you..

Get ready with:

250gms-Brinjals

½ cup sliced onions
1 tsp of finely chopped garlic
½ tsp of turmeric powder
A tsp of curry powder
A tbsp of tomato ketchup
Salt-to taste
Cilantro-to garnish

To temper,
1 tbsp refined oil
½ tsps each of mustards and urad dal
A stalk of curry leaves

How to make:

1.Cut Brinjals lengthwise into 6 parts each,after discarding the green calyx and stalk.Cook half done in salted water with turmeric powder and the pieces 'just' immersed..(turn off the flame when the water starts boiling).Avoid over cooking.

2.Drain the pieces,discarding the water,in a perforated bowl. (If the easy-to-be-cooked long brinjals are used, avoid this precooking part completely.Check the quality of the veg.A little precooking was necessary for my Indian ones).

3.Heat oil in a shallow and wide kadai, splutter mustards and brown the urad dal.Add the chopped garlic and the onions and sauté till they turn golden.Add the curry leaves.

4.Lower the flame.Sauté the curry powder lightly, immediately adding the tomato ketchup next and then the brinjal pieces.

5.Keeping the flame medium, toss or turn the pieces lightly, allowing the gravy to coat all over.

6.Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice, chappathi, nan or with anything you please.

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