Brinjal or eggplant– contains antioxidants, rich in dietary fibre and manganese and above all, low in calories.

Brinjal also known as eggplant or aubergines is one vegetable most people dislike, but if cooked well can be absolutely delicious. In Indian cuisine, most people use brinjal as a main dish as in a brinjal Sambhar or a Baigara bhaingan to a brinjal fry, the list is endless. But in other cuisines, like the famous Greek mousakka it is used along with chicken, tomatoes and bechamel sauce or like the Baba Ganoush, a famous middle eastern dip the brinjal is smoked and then added to the other ingredients.

Sweet and sour brinjal is a favourite dish at home and especially when I’m entertaining vegetarians, it’s on the menu. It’s an awesome alternative to the standard brinjal masala that is usually made when preparing biriyani.

As the name suggests, in this dish, the amount of tamarind and jaggery are the two ingredients essential to give this dish a balance.

Delighted to be sharing this recipe with all of you.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal -1/2 kg
• Turmeric -1 tsp
• Salt to taste

To roast and grind:

• Coriander powder -2 tsp
• Chilli powder -2 tsp
• Cummin seeds -1 tsp
• Garlic – 6 cloves

To fry:

• Onion – 2 medium
• Green chillies slit -3-4

• Jaggery syrup- 3-4 tbsp
• Tamarind juice – 2-3 tbsp

Method:

• Cut brinjal into long wedges, mix turmeric and salt and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• In a non- stick pan, squeeze out all the water from the brinjal wedges and fry lightly for 5-10 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
• Dry roast all the given ingredients till fragrant and powder finely.
• Take some oil in a pan and sauté the sliced onion and slit green chilly till soft and light brown.
• Add the roasted masala powder and fry lightly.
• Add the fried brinjal and add 1/2 cup of water. Add salt if needed and cover and cook till brinjal is soft and pasty.
• Add the tamarind juice and balance the flavour with the jaggery syrup. It should be mildly sweet . If required, add salt.
• Cover and let it simmer on a low flame for 10-15 minutes till all the flavours come together.
• Remove and serve with Pulao or biriyani of your choice.

Chefs tips:

• Brinjal should be fresh and firm. You can use either the purple or green brinjal for this dish.
• Always taste and see during the cooking process as to what is required.
• Brinjal can be substituted for potato.
• It is a balance of tamarind and jaggery that brings the dish together.
• An ideal accompaniment for a favourite rice dish.
• This serves 6-8 adults.

Till my next post,

Cheers

Rose