BRINJAL FRY
This Indian Recipe Makes ± 10 Pieces Depending On The Brinjal Size
This delicious Brinjal Fry recipe is very popular in the Indian homes of South Africa. I grew up having them on those vegetable days. Although I am not too fond of brinjal, I quite like the taste of it when it is prepared this way.
Smooth, sweet eggplant covered with batter & pan fried to form a golden brown & crispy coating. This savoury dish can be served as a starter or a snack.
This dish is also known as Beguni in India.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena), or aubergine, is a type of nightshade developed for its consumable organic product. Eggplant is the basic name in North America & Australia, yet British English uses aubergine. It is known in South Asia, Southeast Asia & South Africa as brinjal. Other normal names are melongene, garden egg or guinea squash.
This is generally utilized as a part of cooking. As an individual from the family Solanum, it is of the same family as the tomato & the potato.
Brinjal Fry Ingredients:
- 2 boxes chili bite mix (500 grams)
- 1 cup (250 ml) cold water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- cooking oil for deep frying
- 1 large eggplant (brinjal)
Method:
- In a medium sized bowl, empty the contents of the chili bite mix. If chili bite mix isn’t on hand, simply mix 2 cups of chickpea flour (chana/gram flour), 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder, 1 teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder & 1 teaspoon chili flakes.
- Add in salt to the chili bite mix.
- Mix well.
- Pour in cold water.
- Mix well.
- The consistency should be a thick as it should hold on the slices of brinjal (eggplant).
- Rinse brinjal (eggplant) & place on a cutting board.
- Slice the brinjal (eggplant) so that it forms circular shapes.
- Heat enough cooking oil in a pot for deep frying on medium-high heat. Place a drop of batter in the oil, if the batter bubbles & rise to the top, the oil is ready.
- Take a slice of brinjal (eggplant) one at a time & dunk it into the batter, coating it thoroughly.
- Carefully place the coated slices of brinjal (eggplant) into the hot oil.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. The brinjals (eggplants) should not be placed over or under one another.
- Allow the brinjal (eggplant) slices to fry properly on one side for a couple of minutes before turning them over. If you turn them over too soon, the batter may come off the slices.
- Each slice should be golden brown in colour. Remove the slices from the hot oil.
- Place them on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
- Serve this delicious brinjal fry slices whilst hot & crispy.
- They go well with a spicy dipping sauce.
- Traditionally, these Brinjal Fry’s are also served by sandwiching them in buttered bread.
- It may also be served as a side to many other dishes including Yellow Split Pea Dhall.