How to make Masala Baby Brinjals

Whenever I find the small baby brinjals in the market, my eyes light up, because then I can make one of my favourite brinjal recipes.

It is a spicy and a tangy  dish, which goes perfectly well with a daal and roti combination. 

Ingredients

• Baby Brinjals – 250 gms
• Garlic flakes – 8-10 nos
• Fenugreek Seeds (methi) – 1 tsp
• Onions – 1 large, thinly sliced
• Tomato – 1 medium, chopped
• Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice – 1/2 no.
• Dry mango powder – 1/2 tsp
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Oil for cooking
• Green chillies – 3-4 nos. slit
• Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

1. Wash and dry the brinjals well and cut them from the top in such a way, that they open up as florets. Keep the stem, do not remove them. 

2. Apply all the dry spices from salt, turmeric, chilli, coriander and dry mango powder along with some lemon juice and keep aside. Make sure, the masalas go inside the slits as well.

3. Heat oil in a wok and fry them till their skin gets a shine or a semi-cooked state.

4. Take a new wok if required (as the oil may char due to the dry masalas), add the fenugreek and chopped garlic, and fry the onion till golden brown. Add the masalas that remained in the bowl that you used to marinate the brinjals. Use this mix to fry with the onion and garlic.

5. Now add the fried brinjal, mix well and add the tomatoes.  Add the sugar.

6. Cover and cook for 5-10 mins, occasionally checking that the masalas don’t stick to the bottom. Add a little water if you like, so that you get thick gravy consistency.

7. Once done, drop in the slit green chillies and fresh coriander leaves, cover and set aside. The steam will blend in the aroma of the coriander leaves, green chillies along with the brinjal.

8. Serve hot with chapatis and daal.

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