Roasted Eggplant Fry

Ingredients
Eggplant/Brinjal/Kathirikkai – 1 lb
Oil – 3 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 2 tsp
Urad Dal – 2 tsp
Bengal Gram Dal – 2 tsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies – 5
Hing Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Grated Coconut – 2 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method
Dry roast the bengal gram dal, dry red chillies and coriander seeds for a minute over low/medium flame.
Grind them to a coarse powder and keep aside until needed.
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the urad dal and mustard seeds for 30 seconds.
Cut the brinjals lengthwise into 4 quarters but do not cut them through. They should still be together at the bottom.
Stuff the brinjals with the ground masala powder. Add salt, turmeric powder and coconut.
Add the stuffed brinjals to the pan and cook over low flame for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle a little water to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
Cover with a lid and stir gently from time to time to ensure it is evenly cooked.
Switch off the flame when it is cooked. Serve hot with rice.

Chicken Manchurian

Ingredients

(For Chicken Marination)

Boneless Chicken – 1 lb

Egg White – 1

Coarsely Crushed Pepper – ½ tsp

Soya Sauce – 2 tsp

Chilli Powder – 4 pinches

Corn Flour - 3 tsp

Rice Flour – 2 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil as needed

(For Manchurian Sauce)

Chopped Garlic – 2 tsp

Chopped Ginger – 1 tsp

Chopped Onions – 2

Soya Sauce – 2 tsp

Red Chilli Sauce – 3 tsp

Vinegar – 2 tsp

Chicken Stock or water – 1 cup

Sugar – ½ tsp

Cubed Capsicum – 1 ½ cup

Chopped Spring Onions – few

Method

Mix chicken with soya sauce, salt, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and pepper powder.

Add egg white and flour. Mix well. Set aside for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil and deep fry on medium flame until golden color. Drain to a kitchen towel.

Stir in the corn flour with 3 tsp water. Transfer the oil to a bowl and retain only half a tsp. Fry ginger garlic until aromatic. Fry onions until transparent.

Add bell peppers and fry for 2 minutes. Add sauces, when they begin to bubble, add the corn flour mixture and 1 cup water or stock.

When the sauce begins to bubble, add the balls, spring onions and toss.

Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add very little water and cook.

Garnish with spring onions and serve as an appetizer.

Roasted Bengal Gram Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

Grated Coconut – 1 cup
Bengal Gram – ½ cup
Green Chilli – 3
Tamarind Pulp – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
To Temper
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Chopped Shallots – 2
Curry Leaves – few
Chopped Coriander Leaves – few
Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
Method
Heat a pan and dry roast chana dal for few minutes or until slightly reddish in color. Add the freshly grated coconut and dry roast it for another couple of minutes. 

Then add green chillies followed by curry laves and saute it. Remove from the stove and let it rest for few minutes before grinding. Transfer it to a blender and blend to powder.

Add in salt and tamarind paste and give it a few pulses. Add ½ cup of water to this or as per the consistency to get a thick fine paste.

Heat oil on medium heat in a pan and add mustard seed. When it splutters, add shallots. When the shallots turn golden brown in color and curry leaves and mix it.

Turn off the stove and pour the ground coconut Bengal mixture to this fried seasoning and mix well.

Then add water as per your required consistency and mix well. The roasted Bengal dal coconut chutney is ready to serve with dosa, idli, uthappam or masala dosa…