Egg in Eggplant gravy

Its been a while, since I published a post. Life is hectic with business projects and festive season. Nevertheless, I'm continuing my egg series...This time its Egg cooked with Eggplant.
There are two methods to make this dish. We can either make it with the whole baby Eggplant cutting it into 4 length wise pieces and making a dilute gravy, or use the big Eggplant and cut into small cubes and as they cook mash them to mix with the gravy and then add the boiled eggs and cook.

The picture is of the second type.

A very staple dish in my childhood back home.

Ingredients:
5 Eggs hard boiled
1 Big Egg Plant (around 1 to 1.5 lb), cut into small cubes
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Garlic pods 4 - finely chopped
Green Chillies - 4 slit length wise
Onion - 1 Medium
Curry leaves - 8-10
Tomato Paste - 1 Tbsp
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tamarind Juice -Soak a medium lemon size tamarind ball in 3/4 cup of hot water for 1/2 hour and then squeeze the pulp and filter the juice and add an additional 2 cups of water.
Finely chopped Coriander leaves

Procedure:
1. In a deep pot add oil after the pot is hot. When the oil reaches a good temperature add mustard seeds.
2. After the mustard seeds splutter add garlic and saute till color changes slightly.
3. Add cut onion, green chillies; curry leaves - saute till onions change color.
4. Add tomatoes or tomato paste and mix.
5. Once the raw smell of tomato is gone, add the egg plant pieces, add salt, chilly powder and mix well.
7. Add 1 cup water, mix and cook for 10-15 minutes covered.
8. Keep mixing in between and add more water if necessary.
9. Once the egg plant is almost cooked, add the tamarind juice, mix well, and add the boiled eggs at this point too.
10. Cook for another 5 - 7 minutes and add the coriander leaves, cook for another minute and remove from heat.

Serve with plain rice, pilaf or rotis.

"E" for Eggplant - Vow Brinjal

Sending this Brinjal Masala to Pooja of My Creative Ideas who is hosting the Vegetable of the week

Read Recipe here

Baby Eggplant and Salted Dried Fish Curry

To those of us who eat Dry salt fish this is a real delicacy..I always enjoyed the salted Dry King Fish when my mom or Grandmothers cooked. My mom used to simple fry it, with chilly powder and it used to taste so gr8 with hot rice and sambar or dhal.

My Grandmother usually cook it with Eggplant/Brinjal to make a thick gravy or add it in Egg gravy. For those who like Salted dry fish will surely know the taste I'm talking about.

Though many NV do not eat dry fish, just because of it pungent smell. But Salted dry fish(English) or Karvadu(Tamil), Uppuchapa(Telugu) can be made delicous if cooked in the right way. Selection of fish is very important here. Usually ithe best one is a bit more expensive than the regular raw fish. But if you want quality, no comprise on price. And adding a selection of our indian masalas this can be a dish that ppl always look forward to eat.


This is one of ways I make it.
Ingredients:
8-10 - Whole Baby Eggplants
1/2 lb - Salt Fish Dry (Soaked in water for 1 to 3 hours, to make it soft and remove access salt by rinsing thoroughly)
1 - Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Big Onion chopped
1 Reem of Curry leaves
2-3 Green Chillies
1 Tsp Crushed garlic or Ginger Garlic paste
3-4 Tbsp Crushed Tomatoe puree or 1 whole tomatoe chopped
1/2 Tsp Chilly powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin powder
1/2 Tsp Coriander powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Garnish - A bunch of Coriander leaves finely chopped

Procedure:
Heat oil in a Kadai, add mustard seeds
After mustard splutters add chopped garlic, fry a little and then add the green chillies, onions, curry leaves and keep stirring till onions are cooked.
If adding ginger garlic paste add it now, and you can omit the crushed garlic step. Keep stirring to see that the ginger garlic paste does not stick to the bottom of the vessel
Add washed and slit baby Eggplant and fry for about 2-3 minutes till the they start changing color.
Add the cleaned soaked salt fish dry, tumeric powder and fry again for 2 minutes. Or till all the dry fish smell is gone and the a pleasant oroma starts.
Now add the Tomatoes chopped or the tomatoe puree and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes.
Add all the other powders and salt, mix and cook another 2 minutes or till the mixture leaves the container.
Now, add 1/2 cup of water to enable the ingredients to cook, cover and cook till Eggplant is soft.
Add more water if required in this process.
Once Eggplant and dry fish are cooked add the coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Serve hot with hot rice and sambar.

Egg Plant Masala

Egg plant is widely used in Indian Cooking. It's not only good in taste but also carries good nutritional value.

There are Indian chefs who can cook the eggplant in 1000 varieties.

This post describes one of the methods Egg plant or Brinjal(as it is called in India) (Vankaya - Telugu, Bhaigan - Hindi & Kathirikai - Tamil) can be cooked with a tangy tamarind juice.
This dish is a perfect condiment for Biriyani.

In most of the Indian Biriyani Stalls this is accompanied with a plate of Lamb or Chicken Biriyani. And therefore whenever I cook Biriyani I make it sure to add this too to my menu.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Egg plant - 6-7 Small, or 3-4 Medium - Cut into small cubes
Oil - 1 Tbsp

For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon 1 big or 2 small
Cloves- 4
Cardamom - 3
Green Chillies - 2
Onion - 1 Small or 1/2 Medium
Curry leaves - 8-10
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

For gravy/sauce:
Tomato Paste - 2 Tbsp or 1 Tomato cut into small cubes
Salt - to taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp depending on how spicy you want.
Tamarind Juice - Made from a small lemon size tamarind ball soaked in 1/3 cup of hot water

For Flavor:
Black Pepper balls : 10-12
Finely chopped Coriander leaves

Procedure:
1. In a deep pot add oil after heated. When the oil is hot add mustard seeds.
2. After the mustard cracks add the whole spices and sauté till they change color.
3. Add cut onion, green chillies; curry leaves - sauté till onions change color.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well so that it doesn't stick to the edges and get burnt.
5. Add tomatoes or tomato paste and mix.
6. Once cooked add the cut cubes of egg plant, add salt, chilly powder and mix well to coat all the pieces with the masala.
7. Add 1 cup water, mix and cook for 15- 20 minutes covered.
8. Keep mixing in between and add more water if necessary.
9. Once the egg plant is almost cooked, add the tamarind juice, mix well and add the black pepper balls.
10. Cook for another 5 - 7 minutes and add the coriander leaves, cook for another minute and remove from heat.

Leave the gravy to set for 1/2 - 1hour, so that the egg plant will absorb the tanginess of the tamarind.

Serve with Rice, Biriyani or Roti.