Meat or Chicken with Fried Eggplants
This traditional Parsi dish combines tender, fried eggplants with succulent meat or chicken in a rich, savory gravy. The eggplants are carefully peeled and slit before being slow-fried in ghee, creating a creamy texture that complements the spiced meat stew. Finished with a splash of vinegar or Worcestershire sauce and a dusting of aromatic garam masala, this recipe offers a sophisticated balance of tangy, salty, and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Eggplants (long, thin variety) (Originally '1.5 seer'. Choose tender, seedless eggplants about 5 inches long.)
- 3 cups Ghee (Originally '1.25 seer' (approx 2.5 lbs). Used for deep frying; most will be removed later.)
- 1 tablespoon Salt (Or to taste.)
- 1 1/2 pounds Mutton or Chicken (cut into pieces) (Quantity estimated to match vegetable ratio.)
- 2 medium Onions (sliced) (Estimated ingredient for the meat base (implied by 'Kharu' reference).)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste (Estimated ingredient for the meat base.)
- 2 teaspoons Vinegar or Worcestershire Sauce (Originally 'Vilayati sauce' (foreign sauce).)
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala (Heaping spoonful.)
Instructions
- 1Select thin, tender, seedless eggplants about 5 inches long. Peel them completely. Slit them lengthwise into two halves but keep them attached at the stem end (do not separate completely). Soak them in cold water.
- 2In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee over low heat. When the ghee is very hot, drain the eggplants from the water. Mix the salt into the hot ghee. Place the eggplants side-by-side in the pan. Cover with a lid that has water poured on top of it (to create condensation/steam inside without adding water directly to the ghee). Cook on low heat (embers). Occasionally lift the lid and shake the pan gently to prevent sticking. Flip the eggplants carefully to fry the other side without breaking them. Once soft and cooked through, remove them and set aside.
- 3Remove most of the ghee from the pan, leaving about 6-8 ounces (approx 3/4 cup) in the pan. In this remaining ghee, prepare the meat or chicken. Add sliced onions, ginger-garlic paste, and the meat. Cook until the meat is tender and a little gravy remains (prepare as a savory stew or 'Kharu').
- 4When the meat is tender and gravy is reduced, gently add the fried eggplants back into the pan, being careful not to break them. Simmer on low heat until the oil/ghee separates and rises to the top. Just before removing from heat, sprinkle with vinegar (or Worcestershire sauce). After a moment, remove from heat and sprinkle the heaping spoonful of garam masala over the top.
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