Badanekai Palya | Simple & Quick Eggplant Stir-Fry

I get to answer many questions like how has life changed after you moved? As a SAHM now, don't you get bored at home & many such! I feel, it is all your perception towards life. You can enjoy wherever you are or whatever you do. I do accept that there are some limitations here, but you are the best person to decide how to keep yourself occupied.

After moving here, I kept myself busy in knitting (along with my blog!). I learnt ABC of knitting with the help of youtube. Kudos to the internet!! Now, I have knit couple of scarfs & at least half a dozen hats!! Here is a glimpse of one of my recent hat. My son proudly tells his friends " See my new hat. My mamma knit it for me".

Now back to business. This is my granny's quick & easy recipe that goes well with rice or roti.

Ingredients: (Serves 3-4)

• Chinese eggplant/Long purple eggplants: 1 pound
• Tomato: 2 medium sized
• Bell pepper: 1 small, optional, seeded
• Turmeric powder: a big pinch
• Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp, more or less
• Cooking oil: 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal: 1 tsp, optional (refer notes)
• Channa dal: 2 tsp, optional (refer notes)
• Green chilies: 3 nos
• Curry leaves: 3 nos, torn
• Salt: As needed.
• Jaggery/Sugar: 1/2 tsp
• Few tablespoons of water.
• Lemon juice: 1 tsp, optional

Method:

Dice the tomatoes, bell pepper & Chinese eggplant. 

Slit the green chilies.
Keep the diced eggplants in salt water. This helps in reducing the bitterness of the eggplant & also prevents it from browning.
Heat the oil in a wok. When oil is hot, throw in the mustard seeds, channa dal & urad dal.
When dals turn golden brown, throw in the curry leaves & green chilies.
Drain the water from the eggplant.
When curry leaves wilt, add in the tomatoes & saute till tomatoes are coated with oil.
Throw in the diced eggplant, bell pepper, salt, sugar, turmeric powder & red chilli powder.
Mix well & add couple of tablespoons of water.Cook it covered for 5 mins on medium heat. Keep stirring in between for even cooking.
Remove the lid & cook again for a couple of minutes. Eggplants should become very soft. Remove it from the heat.
Squeeze in the lemon juice & serve it hot with rice or roti.

I served mine with sabudana rotti.

Notes:
Urad dal & channa dal adds crunch to the plain stir-fry. If you do not like it, you are free to skip it.
Adding bell peppers are also optional.
Try not to skip adding sugar or jaggery. It reduces the bitterness of the eggplant & enhances its flavor.