Brinjal Sambol

Brinjal sambol

4 medium brinjals

2 onion sliced

A piece of ginger chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tomato

A dessertspoon  mustard seeds.

A sprig of curry leaves

1 1/2  teaspoon chilly powder or chilly  flakes ( you can add more  or reduce the amount)

¼  teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)

3-4 tablespoons  tomato paste.

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method 

Wash and cut the brinjals  lengthwise.( should be a little thick).Fry them in oil.Drain them in paper towel and set aside while you prepare the sambol

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan.Cook the onions till it turns pale in colour.Add the ginger, garlic,chilly and the rest of the ingredients and cook for a further few minutes. Add the fried brinjals ,fold it with the onion sambol/mixture  and  leave it covered .Enjoy with a plate of rice and curry. 

Brinjal,Aubergine,Eggplant

Brinjal  is a cherished vegetable among my family members.It is also known as aubergine or eggplant They come in two colours :purple and white.

When uncooked it has a bitter taste  but becomes soft and pulpy when cooked. As soon as the vegetable is cut for cooking,the vegetable pieces are soaked in turmeric powder to get rid of the bitterness.Then it is washed and rinsed well before getting to the stove.I love to try my hands cooking brinjals in a variety of ways.Brinjals can be cooked,fried baked and roasted .More than often ,I fry the brinjals and then use them accordingly in a recipe.My family’s favourite is the baked brinjal dish,which I prepare for special occasions.Another specialty is the brinjal curry ,which is commonly cooked in my home.With added ingredients it becomes  a delectable dish.This is usually served with rice and curry.l

Brinjal Curry

4 medium brinjals

1 onion sliced

A piece of ginger chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tomato

A dessertspoon mustard seeds.

A sprig of curry leaves

1 tablespoon chilly powder or chilly  flakes ( you can add more  or reduce the amount)

1 ½ teacups coconut milk.

Oil for frying

Salt to taste

Method

Wash and cut the brinjals  lengthwise .( should be a little thick).Fry them in oil.Drain them in paper towel and set aside while you prepare the gravy.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan.Cook the onions till it turns pale in colour.Add the ginger ,garlic,chilly and the rest of the ingredients and cook for a further few minutes.When the gravy thickens , add the fried brinjals and let it simmer .Enjoy with a plate of rice and curry.

 

You can see more pictures of brinjal dishes ( cooked in a variety of ways) 

Eating Dips and Salads

Eid festival has come and gone however all of us are still in the festive mood as everyone is on holiday. And all are less bothered to follow the usual routine. Everyone at home were doing their own thing in a leisurely manner. The children were even eating the meals at different timing. Last evening I was too lethargic to do anything. I tried to avoid going into the kitchen too. My husband decided to take us out to the mall, so that the sons would have some sort of entertainment. And he suggested we have dinner at the food court there. By the time we decided to eat, the food court was packed to capacity. There were no empty tables and chairs. Even the most sought after restaurants in the mall were packed. Everyone was too hungry to patiently wait till a table was cleared. Finally we decided to order take-away and eat at home. The children wanted burgers and fries. We bought some vegetable noodles for the vegetarian daughter. But I decided to order only some appetizers/starters as I was too tired to eat a heavy meal. I ordered a platterful of different dips and salads. Dips like Humus, Thahini, eggplant dip, corn and parsley salad and a portion of coleslaw. It was a serving for about four people. It was packed with Kubz, a kind of flat bread that I used as a spoon to dip and shovel the salads into my mouth.