Baingan Achari
(Spicy Eggplant)

• This is an exquisite dish not unlike a spicy ratatouille.

Baingan Achari (Spicy Eggplant)

Ingredients:
500g eggplant (round variety)
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
2.5cm fresh ginger, peeled & chopped coarsely
70ml water
Vegetable oil for frying
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
1/2 tsp black onion seeds (if available) or
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 tin whole tomatoes, chopped finely (save the liquid)
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/3 tsp chili powder (more if you like it hot)
Salt to taste

1. Cut the eggplants into slices or wedges about 1.8 cm thick and 4-5 cm long. Set a sieve or colander over a bowl.
2. Blend the garlic and ginger with water until fairly smooth.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium high flame. When hot, put in as many eggplant slices as the pan will hold in a single layer. Let them turn a reddish-brown colour. Turn them over and brown the opposite sides.
4. Remove the slices and put them in the sieve. When the oil becomes less, add more oil and fry the next patch of eggplant slices. Leave eggplants for about ½ an hour.
5. After that, put 3 tbsp oil in another frying pan over medium flame. When hot, put in fennel seeds and black onion seeds or cumin seeds. As soon as the fennel turns a few shades darker, put in the chopped tomatoes, liquid, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, ginger-garlic mixture and salt.
6. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking the tomato pieces with the back of a slotted spoon. Turn the heat up slightly and continue to stir and cook until the spice mixture gets thick and paste-like.
7. Now put in the fried eggplant slices and mix gently. Cook on medium low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring very gently. Cover the pan, turn heat to very low and cook another 5 minutes, if necessary. Oil would have collected at the bottom of the frying pan. To serve, use a slotted spoon to scoop the eggplants from the pan.