Eggplant - Simple

This is one of my favorite vegetables. It comes in different shapes, sizes and colors. I just about eat all types except the regular American one as it is too acidic for me. I eat the Indian, Chinese and Italian for most part. The color I choose is purple, although there are green eggplants too.

I make 3-4 varieties of eggplants so I will post the recipe one by one.  This first one is the simplest one.

Ingredients

1. 2-3 long Chinese eggplant (this is good enough for two people for one time)
2. 1/3 tsp jeera 
3. 1 tsp coriander powder
4. 1/3 tsp haldi
5. khataai (amchur)
6. salt and pepper to taste
7. 2-3 tbsp oil

Process

1. Cut the eggplant lengthwise in half and then in about 1-1 1/2 in pieces. Wash and keep soaked in water until ready to use (they will oxidize - blacken - very quickly)
2. On the stove, in a big enough frying pan, add the oil.  Let it heat up nicely.
3. Add the jeera, let it brown and then add the coriander powder. It will start browning. Don't let it burn.
4. Add the eggplant. Its okay if its wet.
5. Add salt, pepper and haldi to the pan. Mix everything, cover the pan and lower the heat. to medium.
6. Keep stirring until tender.
7. Add the amchur and stir well. Now you can cook without the cover and keep stirring the eggplant.  This will help to dry out the water and make the eggplant more fried than watery. 

The Chinese eggplant gets soft very quickly and is cooked under 10 mins. The small Indian type eggplant prepared this way takes longer to cook and needs more stirring.  They also need little more oil to prevent them from burning and sticking to the pan. It is better to add oil than water - it tastes much better!