Achari Baingan

Recipe Courtesy: Monsoonspice

Ingredients:
10-12 Baby Eggplants
A pinch of Sugar 
2 tbsp Oil 
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
2 sprigs Curry Leaves 
Salt to taste
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Fennel Seeds
½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 heaped tsp Coriander Powder
¼ tsp Cumin Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
¾ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder

Method:

• Trim the stems of baby eggplants and cut them into 4 equal length wise pieces. Soak them in a bowl of cold water to prevent them for discolouring.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds
• When mustard seeds crackle and the fenugreek seeds turn light brown in colour, add hing and curry leaves and give it a quick stir.
• Add ginger paste and fry it till its raw smell disappears, about 30-45 seconds, on medium flame.
• Mix in turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and chilli powder and fry the spices for half a minute on medium flame. Make sure that you don’t burn the spices.
• Drain all the water from eggplants before putting them in a pan. Mix them well so that every piece is coated well with the spice mix.
• Add about 1-2 tbsp of water and cover the pan with lid. Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
• Open the lid and stir in salt to taste. Cover and let it cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium flame, stirring after every 1 minute.
• Next add garam masala, sugar and amchur powder and mix them well. Let it cook uncovered for few more minutes till the eggplants are cooked through but still retain their shape.