Bengan Bartha (Brinjal Sabji)

I am not sure whether, this is the traditional recipe for making bengan bartha, but I named it so, because it is made out of brinjal(!) I used the left over brinjal masala curry to make this recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Masala Brinjal curry - 1 cup
2. Tomato - 1
3. Onion - 1/2
4. Green chillies - 2
5. Salt - required amount for ingredients 2,3 and 4.
6. Unsalted butter - 1 tbsp
7. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
   

First grind, tomato, onion and green chillies adding required amount of salt into a fine paste. Now add the the masala curry to it and grind it again so that everything mix well. Pre heat unsalted butter in a pan, add the grounded paste and cook it well for 5 to 7 mts adding required amount of water. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

We can also add a handfull of peas to it. First cook the peas and add it to the grounded paste while cooking with butter.

Brinjal Curry 2

My MIL usually make brinjal curry with some seasoning on it. This is something very traditional in Iyer family and they call it "Podi idicha curry". I tried the same podi idicha curry with some more spices in it. It was really good as a side dish and as a main dish with rice. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Brinjal - 3 cups (sliced into 1"sized)
2. Onion - 1 (chop it accordingly)
3. Coriander Seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
   
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Channa dhall - 1 tsp
8. Garlic cloves - 2
9. Red chillies - 2
10. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
11. Coconut - 1 tsp
12. Cardamom - 1
13. Cloves - 2
    
14. White Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
15. Oil - 1 tbsp
16. Salt to taste

First fry, coriander seeds, channa dhall, garlic, red chillies, asafoetida powder, coconut, cardamom, cloves, white sesame seeds to golden brown and let it cool and grind it into a fine powder. In the mean time, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let it splutter. Now add onion and fry it for a minute, add brinjal pieces, turmeric powder and salt and add required amount of water and let the veggies cook nicely. Do not mash the veggies. when it is half cooked, add the grounded powder and mix it well. Cook it for another 7 mts under low flame. Now transfer the ingredients to a baking sheet. Bake it in the 350 degress pre heated oven for 7 to 10 mts. If possible, spray the sheet with cooking oil, before putting brinjal. This process will make brinjal more crispier than regular brinjal curry. I made this as side dish with raddish sambar for lunch. I had some more left over in the evening which I converted into bengan bartha which is my next post.

Eggplant Curry 2 - Brinjal Curry 2

In my mom's place, they don't make eggplant or brinjal curry with masala powder. They make it really really simple. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Eggplants(Brinjal) - 2 cups (chopped into 1" sized)
2. Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Red chillies - 1 (acc to taste)

Take a wide pan, pre heat the oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add red chillies to it and saute for a minute. Now add the chopped brinjal, turmeric powder, salt and required amount of water and let it cook for 10 mts. Eggplants(brinjal) will not take more than 10 mts (most of the eggplants) to cook. When the brinjal is fully cooked, drain the remaining water and saute for a minute. Do not mash the brinjal. Serve it hot with sambar rice. This is also a side dish.