Categories: brinjal recipies, chutney

Ingredients

• • 2 medium eggplants (Indian or Italian variety);
• if using the American variety, use a small one
• • 1 small tomato, cut into cubes
• • 1 tsp cilantro leaves, chopped
• For Masala
• • 2 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
• • 3/4 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• • 1 green chilli (adjust to taste)
• • 3 red chillies
• • Asafoetida powder (hing), a pinch
• • Turmeric powder, a pinch
• • 3 tsp vegetable oil
• • Salt to taste

Directions

1. Coat the eggplants with oil. You can use a vegetable oil spray.

2. Roast the eggplants on a grill or wrap them in plastic wrap, poke a couple of holes through the wrap, and pop into the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until done. You could also place them in a baking pan and roast them in the broiler until peel is charred. The eggplants should not be too mushy. Set aside to cool.

3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a small pan. Add the hing, urad dal and mustard seeds, and roast until the dal and red chillies are golden and the mustard is popping. Remove and set aside to cool.

4. In the same oil, fry the green chilli and remove. Add the tomatoes and fry until tender.

5. In a small grinder (a coffee grinder works fine), pulse the roasted urad, mustard and red chillies to a coarse powder. Remove in a mixing bowl.

6. Peel the eggplants and in a mortar and pestle, add to the coarsely ground masala. Or pulse for a second or two in a blender.

7. Add some salt, cooked tomatoes, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and oil and mix well. Pound until the lumps are gone and the flavors combined. Add the green chilli and pound until mashed.

8. Garnish the eggplant-tomato chutney with chopped cilantro.

9. Serve the eggplant-tomato chutney with rice, ghee (clarified butter) and pappadums, or as a sandwich spread or dip.

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