Crispy brinjal rounds

Brinjal or aubergine, a vegetable that is available all year round, comes in different sizes, shapes and colors. This vegetable is found in most cuisines. This is a mild flavoured vegetable which takes on the flavours of the other ingredients in the dish. Here, I have a recipe for fried brinjal that has more shape and texture than usual.  Often, fried brinjal rounds are limp and get torn in parts, when they are done.  I like to add some rice powder to the marinade or coating, so that the fried rounds hold their shape and are crisp on the outside.

Serves 4
Preparation and cooking : 20 to 30 minutes
 Ingredients

1. Brinjal  - 1/4 kg
2. Salt to taste
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
4. Chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon or according to taste
5. Rice powder (either fine or coarse) - 3 tablespoon
6. Oil - for deep frying

Method

1. Wash and cut each brinjal into 1/4 " thick rounds. Soak in water to prevent discolouration.

2. In a large, dry platter, mix together items 2, 3, 4 and 5 without any water. It should be totally dry.

3. Drain and wipe the brinjal rounds. Coat the brinjal rounds with the dry mix on both sides.

4. Let the brinjal rounds marinate for about 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok. When the oil is hot, place a few rounds in it. Deep fry just few pieces at a time. The oil should not be crowded.

6. Turn the pieces and cook till they are a golden brown and crispy.

7. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen paper.

8. Serve piping hot.

Tips

These fries retain crispiness for a short while only, so I like to make them very close to meal times.

Marination time should not exceed 10 minutes, as brinjal releases water and it is likely to become less crisp on frying.

If the slices are too large, they can be halved or even quartered before marination.

Goes very well with typical South Indian meal combinations.

I like to use "appam" rice powder or "puttu" rice powder if I run out of fine rice flour. "Appam" and "puttu" are made from coarse rice powder. Coarse rice powder gives a nice crunch to the brinjal rounds. Else any fine rice powder will do.