Eggplant Curry

Eggplant Curry ( Yengai Badanekai Gojju)

This is my version of yengai badnekai meaning eggplant fried in Oil. My Doddamma had learnt the original recipe from her friend who is from North Karnataka. I still remember the day she made this, knowing I hated eggplant. But to my amazement I liked the gojju and also ate the eggplant(brinjal).
Mom got the recipe from Dodamma. We(eggplant haters as kids) would eat the eggplant only in this curry. Now, I make different dishes out of eggplant and like them too.
I will post the original version of this recipe when Mom comes here with actual ingredients from India.

Ingredients
Onion (chopped) – 1
Tomato – 2 or 1 Tsp Tomato paste
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Eggplant (round) – 6
Oil for frying
coriander leaves for garnishing.

For Powder:
ü Fried Grams – 1 Tbl Sp
ü Peanuts - 1 Tbl sp
ü Fried (Cumin seeds, poppy seeds) – 1 tsp each
ü Fried Red Chilli – 1
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Dhania powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala – 1tsp


Directions:
Powder all the ingredients listed above and mix the rest of the ingredients below powder list. Add water and make a paste and keep aside.

Cut the eggplant as shown in the image below.

Heat pan with 1 Tbsp of Oil and add the Eggplant and fry them until softly cooked.

While eggplant is getting cooked, Fry Onion, ginger garlic paste until the onions are translucent.

Add tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Add the paste that was prepared and cook this mixture for 10 mins. Keep stirring the gravy frequently.

Add the shallow fried eggplant into this gravy and let is slowly cook for 10 mins.

Remove from heat, garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with Akki rotti, chapathi.