BEGUN BHAJA
INDIA
This is a lovely variation on plain fried eggplant, with a mildly spicy flavor that makes them a perfect accompaniment to the Bengali Khichdi or any grilled fish, meat, or poultry. They also make a scrumptious vegetarian sandwich wrapped in flatbread.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Sea salt
2 large eggplants (1 pound 2 ounces/500 g total), cut into medium thick rounds
¼ cup (60 ml) mustard oil
1. Put the chili powder, turmeric, and a little salt in a small bowl and mix well. Spread on a plate.
2. Dip both sides of each eggplant slice in the spice mix and shake off any excess—this is best done as soon as you cut the eggplant.
3. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Heat the mustard oil in a large skillet over medium heat until really hot (test by dropping a piece of bread into the oil; if it immediately bubbles around it, it is ready). Add as many eggplant pieces as will fit comfortably into the pan (see Note) and fry until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil. When done, the eggplants should be crisp on the edges and soft and silky on the inside. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
NOTE: It’s best to fry the eggplants all in one go, otherwise there will be masala residue in the pan that will burn and stick to any subsequent batch. If your skillet is not large enough, wipe it clean after the first batch and use fresh mustard oil to fry the second batch.