the pepper cook

Ingredients:

For eggplant :

• 1 large eggplant, about 500g
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon red chili, ground
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 5 tablespoons rice flour
• ¼ cup oil

For yogurt base :

• 1½ cups plain, unflavoured yogurt Click here to buy powder yogurt 
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon red chili, ground
• 2-3 cloves garlic, pounded or grated
• 10-15 mint leaves

Tempering : (optional)

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves

Instructions:

1. Cut the eggplant into ½ inch thick rings; if you want to make the effort to make the eggplant look prettier cut out little circles from the center. Rub salt on the eggplant and allow it to sit in a colander for about 15-20 minutes so the bitter juices run out.
2. Pat eggplant dry. Apply cumin and ground red chili to the eggplant pieces.
3. Heat ¼ cup oil in a shallow frying pan on medium heat.
4. Beat one egg. Dip eggplant slices in egg (if using) and then in rice flour and fry in a frying pan. If not using egg, just dip eggplant in rice powder – there should be enough moisture for rice powder to stick onto eggplant slices. Place slice in hot oil.
5. Turn the eggplant pieces after 3-4 minutes when bottom sides are golden brown. Fry until each side unit nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes total.
6. Remove browned eggplant slices on a paper towel so excess oil is absorbed.
7. To make the yogurt base for the eggplant, whisk yogurt with salt, cumin, ground red chili, garlic, and mint leaves.
8. Arrange the yogurt in a shallow dish. Place fried pieces of eggplant pieces on top.
9. Optionally you can temper the eggplant yogurt. Heat oil until hot in a frying pan; add black mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to pop, in about 1 minute, pour the hot oil over the eggplant.
10. Serve immediately or chilled.

Critical Ingredients:  Eggplant and yoghurt are critical. If you don’t eat eggs, you can skip the egg and just dip the eggplant in the rice flour.  The eggplant will be damp enough to have the rice flour hold. If you don’t have ground cumin, ground coriander should work as well.  You can substitute rice flour with plain white four or even besan(chickpea flour).  Or you can fry the eggplant with no dredging. (without flour). I like garlic in my yoghurt, but if you don’t, know one will sue you if you skip it!