Brinjals

Ingredients

• 4 medium tender brinjals (eggplant) (Choose young, firm brinjals with no soft spots. These are referred to as 'a few' in the original recipe — adjust quantity to taste.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Used in both methods — in Method 1 to smear on cut pieces, and in Method 2 to mix into the batter.)
• 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric (Used in Method 1 only, to smear onto the brinjal pieces before frying.)
• 1 cup oil (Used for frying in both methods. Use a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point such as sunflower or vegetable oil. Can be substituted with ghee (see ghee ingredient).)
• 1 cup pulse-meal (besan / chickpea flour) (Also known as besan, gram flour, or chickpea flour. Used in Method 2 to make the batter coating.)
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds (Used whole ('entire') in the batter for Method 2.)
• 0.5 teaspoon black cumin (kalonji / nigella seeds) (Used whole ('entire') in the batter for Method 2. Also known as kalonji or nigella seeds — do not confuse with regular cumin.)
• 0.5 teaspoon aniseeds (Used whole ('entire') in the batter for Method 2.)
• 1 cup ghee (An alternative to oil for Method 2. Clarified butter that adds a rich, nutty flavour. Use in place of oil if preferred.)

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the brinjals under cold running water and pat them dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Remove the green stalk end. For Method 1: cut the brinjals into very large chunks or thick wedges — aim for pieces roughly 5–6 cm (about 2 inches). For Method 2: cut the brinjals into thin round slices about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Decide which method you are making before cutting, as the size differs significantly.
2. 2Place the large brinjal chunks into a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and ground turmeric. Using your hands or a spoon, rub the salt and turmeric evenly all over each piece so every surface is lightly coated in the yellow spice mixture. Set aside while the oil heats. Note: if you are making Method 2 instead, skip to step 3.
3. 3Pour enough oil into a wide frying pan or wok to form a shallow layer about 1–2 cm (½ inch) deep. Place the pan over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is ready, carefully drop in a small piece of brinjal — it should sizzle immediately. Add the seasoned brinjal pieces in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towel. Serve immediately while hot. This completes Method 1.
4. 4In a large mixing bowl, combine the besan (chickpea flour / pulse-meal) with salt, poppy seeds, black cumin, and aniseeds. The seeds should be left whole — do not grind them. Gradually add cold water a little at a time, whisking or stirring vigorously with a fork or whisk until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and cling to the brinjal slices without running off — roughly the consistency of thick pancake batter. Note: if you are making Method 1 instead, skip this step and go to step 3.
5. 5Pour plenty of oil or ghee into a deep saucepan or wok — you need enough depth for the brinjal slices to be fully submerged, at least 5–7 cm (2–3 inches) of oil. Place over medium-high heat and allow it to come to a boil or reach frying temperature. To test if the oil is ready, drop a tiny amount of batter into the oil — it should immediately rise to the surface and sizzle vigorously. If it sinks and sits on the bottom, the oil is not yet hot enough. Be careful when working with large quantities of hot oil — never leave it unattended.
6. 6Working with a few slices at a time, dip each thin brinjal slice into the thick besan batter and turn to coat it completely on all sides. Let any excess batter drip back into the bowl for a moment, then carefully lower the coated slice into the boiling oil or ghee. Do not crowd the pan — fry in small batches of 3–4 slices at a time. Fry for approximately 3–4 minutes, turning once with a slotted spoon or tongs, until the batter is golden brown and crisp all over. Remove from the oil and drain briefly on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining slices. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
7. 7Transfer the fried brinjals to a serving plate and eat while hot. Both versions lose their texture as they cool — the plain fried pieces become soft and the battered slices lose their crispness — so serve straight away for the best result.