This is one old fruit here and its origins are as ancient as the history of civilization. It is thought to have originated in India where it grows wild and comes in multiple shapes, colors and sizes. The name eggplant, a misnomer, can be attributed to the European version of this fruit, where in the early days, it used to be egg shaped and yellowish in color. The other side of the ocean calls it aubergine, which is also a color, a deep purple. It somehow all ties in together neatly. In India, it has as many names as we have languages, baingan, vanga, begun, vazuthananga, etc. Fried, roasted, sautéed, and stuffed, eggplants are fairly common in several cuisines around the world and served as a side dish or in a curry.

The big thick eggplant is more often roasted and mashed into a bharta or a dip but every once in a while Aai would make these crispy slices to go with a special meal. Hands down, this is my favorite way to make and eat eggplants. I make these slices when I find a nice, glossy, and long eggplant and one of the little birdies is around, as they both enjoy this side dish.

Bengali cuisine has a delicious eggplant bhaja version and the difference is in the oil and flours used. The bhaja is coated with whole wheat flour and fried in mustard oil, while Aai dredges the slices in a combination of rice and chickpea flours and shallow fries them in peanut oil. Either way, they are delicious and crispy.

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Step by Step

1. Wash the eggplant and pat it dry.
2. Cut it into round slices about 1 cm in thickness. You will get between 8-12 slices depending on the size of the eggplant.
3. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of the slices and let stand for 10 mins. This will draw some of the water from the eggplant to its surface.

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4. In a bowl combine the following:
   • 1/2 cup chickpea flour
   • 1/4 cup rice flour
   • 1 tsp red chili powder
   • 1 tsp cumin powder
   • 1/2 tsp turmeric
   • 1 tsp salt (to taste)
5. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pan
6. Brush the water off and dip each slice into the bowl of flours, coat both sides.
7. Slide the flour coated slices into the hot oil and allow to cook and crisp up.
8. The slices will cook thorough in about 3 mins on each side.
9. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
10. Add more oil as needed to the pan.
11. Keep an eye on the underside and check by gently lifting up the slices to avoid burning.
12. Shallow fry all the slices on both sides and serve hot with any dip or sauces.
13. Serve as an appetizer, side dish or as the centerpiece for a simple meal of rice and dal.

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Some Tips

Choose a glossy and shiny large and long eggplant.

These fries need to be made in one go, which means, once you slice the eggplant, plan on frying the slices within an hour or so; if not, the eggplant will release water and become too soft.

You can use any combination of flours but I have always used chickpea and rice flour. You can also vary the spices and use ones you like more, such as garam masala, coriander powder, dried mango powder, fennel seed powder, sugar or mustard powder. I keep it simple like Aai does.