Sweet and Sour Brinjal ( Eggplant)

Owing to its versatile nature and wide use in both everyday and festive Indian food, Brinjal is often described as the 'King of Vegetables'.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 small brinjals
• 2 medium sized onions thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 5-6 green chillies finely chopped
• ½ cup tomato puree
• 1 tbsp tamarind juice
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp coarse fennel seeds powder
• 1” piece of jaggery ( gur)
• 6-8 tbsp cooking oil
• Finely chopped coriander

Method:

• Cut each brinjal into four pieces. Soak in salt water ( add 1 tsp of salt in water).
• Heat oil in a deep saucepan. Fry brinjal pieces till they are pink. Take them out in a plate.
• Fry onions till light brown. Add green chillies, ginger and garlic paste. Stir in tomato puree. Mix well.
• Now add coriander, chili and turmeric powder. Fry till oil separate out from the masala.
• Add salt, tamarind juice and brinjal pieces.
• Simmer for 5-6 minutes with about 1 ½ cups of water.
• Mix in fennel powder and jaggery. Stir till jaggery melts.
• Take out in a serving dish.
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Eat with hot paratha.

Note: The raw brinjal can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced eggplant (known as "degorging") can soften and remove much of the bitterness.