Eggplant Parmesan (Melanzane alla Parmigiana)

Fried eggplant slices coated with tomato sauce, layered with cheese and baked in oven. This is the simplest description of this exotic sounding dish. Yet this simple sounding dish can be such a challenge to make. The thickness of the slice, with skin or without skin, the kind of batter to use, to coat with breadcrumbs or not, the tomato sauce and the type of cheese can all play a very important role in not only how it comes out but how it tastes also.
Eggplant parmesan is a southern Italian dish and there are many versions to the origin of the name. Though many believe that the origin of the dish is due to the use of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, there are still a handful that believe that the name Parmigiana is a corruption of the word Parmiciana, a word from the Sicilian dialect, which refers to slats of wood in a shutter. The dish is so named after the slats, because the eggplant slices overlap each other just like the wooden slats in a shutter.
Irrespective of the controversy, it is a very popular dish the world over with different variations of the same existing, some even involving chicken and veal.
The variation I try does not use breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs made the dish very heavy and I prefer to use a lighter tempura like batter instead.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
Eggplant, big, cut into thin slices- 1
Mozzarella, sliced - 5-6 slices
Parmesan, grated - 1/2 Cup
Salt
Oil - For deep frying

For the batter:
Egg -1
Flour - 1 Cup
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Water - 3/4 Cup
Baking Soda - a Pinch

For tomato sauce:
Olive Oil
Tomatoes, concassed - 1 Kg
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
Onion, finely chopped - 1
Basil - 1 tsp
Black pepper, freshly ground - 2 Tsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them rest covered, so that they lose moisture and the bitterness. Leave aside.

2. To Make Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a wok. Add in the onions and saute till they start to turn golden.
3. Add in the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the concassed tomatoes and 1 cup of water.
5. Cook till the sauce starts to turn thick.
6. Add the salt, black pepper powder and basil.
7. Cook for another minute. Take it off flame.

8. To Make Batter: Combine all ingredients for batter.
9. Whisk well till a thick batter forms.
10. Chill for 10-15 minutes.

11. Heat oil in a big wok.
12. Dip the eggplant slices in the batter and deep fry till done.
13. Remove and drain excess oil. Keep aside.
14. Take a baking dish and lightly oil it .
15. Spread a layer of the tomato sauce. Now dip each batter fried eggplant slice in the tomato sauce and add to the baking dish. Make a layer of eggplant slices.
16. Layer with some more tomato sauce and sprinkle the parmesan cheese.
17. Repeat this 3 more times.
18. Add the remaining tomato sauce on top and layer the mozzarella cheese.
19. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes.
20. Cut into slices and serve hot.

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Ennai Kathrikai (Masala Eggplant)

Let me begin this post by wishing everyone on the occasion of the Indian Independence day. Today we celebrate our 60th Independence day.

Being married to a Tam Brahm ( that too an Iyer), can a Iyer Veggie dish be far behind on this blog (or flog as I call it ... Foodie Blog that is). So last week was spent trying out this shudh shakahari dish alongwith other carnivorous delights. Having worked in an Iyer Kitchen in a hotel and spending time rummaging through my in-laws kitchen to find a tandoori masala powder, I realised one thing that is the gospel truth, Coconut and Asafoetida are a must have. Another fact, Food typically consists of 3 courses, rice & rasam, rice & sambhar and Curd Rice, the others like chutneys, veg dishes and salads being only relegated to the sidelines. So, going by the courses you must have guessed by now ...Rice is Right.
Don't go by my english recipe name on top (Masala Eggplant), the literal translation of Ennai Kathrikai means Eggplants in oil, with Kathrikai meaning Eggplant ( or Brinjal) and Ennai meaning Oil. Some restaurants also serve it as Eggplant Curry.
Ingredients:
8-10 Baby Eggplants
1 Marble size ball of tamarind, soaked in 1/4 cup water,pulped and strained.
Cup Oil 100 ml
5 Curry Leaves
5 gm Mustard seeds
Masala:
5 gm cumin seeds
10 gm Corriander seeds
5 gm Split Bengal Gram ( Chana Dal)
5 gm Split Black Gram (Urad Dal)
2 Whole Dry Red Chillies
10 gm Black Peppercorn
Asafoetida (Hing) - Pinch
5-6 Curry Leaves
1/4 Cup Coconut, Scraped/grated
5 gm Turmeric Powder
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Fry the masala ingredients except the grated coconut in 2 tsp oil and keep aside to cool. Grind to a powder once cooled.
2. Fry the grated coconut in 2 tsp oil to a reddish brown color. Mix with masala powder and leave to cool.
3.Slit the eggplants from the top, without separating the eggplant into 4 pieces. Check the eggplants from inside for worms or insects.
4. Fill the slit eggplants with the masala.
5. Heat 5 tsp oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds.
6. Once the mustard seeds sputter, add in the curry leaves and the stuffed eggplants. Put the leftover masala on top and cook.
7. Add the tamarind pulp, stir and cook for 15-20 more minutes. If the dish is too dry add in a little more water.
8. Serve Hot.

Note: Please cut the eggplants only after the masala has been prepared. If the eggplants are allowed to sit for long they discolor. You can always add some of the tamarind water to prevent the discoloration.
I receive a lot of comments in my mailbox ( remind me to take it off this blog later). Please post it directly.

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