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Recipe Contest - 2


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Best Eggplant recipe, Indian style.

We are pleased to announce our second contest.

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You will have four days to complete the contest. Only the recipes posted on the recipeGulletwill be judged. Bague25 and Episure will be the judges. The winner will receive a copy of - Neelam Batra’s 1000 Indian Recipes.

The rules –

1. You will need to use eggplant as one of the main ingredients

2. Please post tested recipes. IF you can provide a picture even better

3. You will need to use spices listed here… using any of the Indian pantry items listed here -- Indian Pantry

4. Anyone in an “official” capacity at eGullet is eligible to enter but will not receive any prizes.

Judgments

1. All judgments are final

2. Contest ends on May 27th at midnight EST

3. The winner will be announced on June 6th

Please post your entries on this thread along with a link to the eGRA.

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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This is fine encouragement for me to not only experiment with one of my favorite cuisines, but to also explore a vegetable that I have very little experience working with. How exciting! I do believe that I'm going to attempt this.

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am i missing something or are there few entries for the second

food contest? (the eggplant one)?

i thought there would be floods of recipes;

the "begun" is such a pan-indian favorite!

i've entered a recipe: brinjal chickpea gojju.

dunno how to link though, but i hope it has

shown up on the recipe site.

milagai

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And I must add, Episure, who has a way with words said let baigans be baigans :laugh::biggrin:

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

That was a good one!!!

I like the I fry the heat of my pans too....

I would love to have something clever like that under my name but somehow cant think of something!!!

Rushina

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Nessa's Eggplant pakoras?

Servings: 8 as an appetizer

This is a spicy eggplant fritter and is best served piping hot.

Spices

2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp tumeric

2 tsp coriander

1 tsp cayenne or other hot red pepper powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp brown mustard seeds

Batter

2 c chickpea flour

1/2 c plain yogurt

2 tsp salt

1 c coconut milk

1 c cold water

5  medium curry leaves, chopped

Eggplants

2  medium eggplants

Oil for frying

Dipping sauce

1 c coconut milk

1 c plain yogurt

1 T chile paste

1 T chopped curry leaves

1/4 c chopped cilantro

2 T tamarind concentrate

Start heating your oil to 350-375 degrees.

Mix the ingredients listed under dipping sauce, whisk to make smooth, and chill in the refrigerator.

Roast spices over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until aromatic.

In a bowl, mix the flour, and the rest of the ingredients listed under "batter". Whisk to remove lumps, then add the roasted spices and whisk to mix.

Wash the eggplants, and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Cut a few at a time so that the slices do not brown. I leave the skin on, feel free to peel. For the larger slices, slice them into two smaller half-moon shapes.

Dip a slice into the batter and coat, allow excess batter to drop off, then place the slice in the pre-heated oil. Repeat as many times as you have room for. Do not exceed a single layer in the oil or they could stick together. Fry for a minute or so then flip the slices and continue frying until a dark golden brown, about another minute. This will vary as your oil temperature fluxuates, so keep an eye on your thermometer and adjust accordingly.

Place the slices on paper towels to blot excess oil.

Repeat until all the slices are fried, or you run out of batter.

Serve with dipping sauce, or any sauce or chutney that strikes your fancy.

Nessa, I just cant seem to make your recipe for eggplant pakoras.

The batter just fritters away from the slice unlike your perfect picture of the finished dish.

Are you sure you havent made a mistake in entering the recipe?

I suspected that the coconut milk and the yogurt shouldnt go in to the batter but I followed your recipe anyway. Though this unique(now questionable) aspect is what made me try your dish as the first entry to be judged.

Bague, please note and wait for Nessa's reply

Edited by Monica Bhide (log)

I fry by the heat of my pans. ~ Suresh Hinduja

http://www.gourmetindia.com

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You're right on time, Suresh. I was planning to make the pakoras this evening. I had all ingredients lined up for the pakora recipe yesterday but decided against it – was hesitating exactly for the same reasons....

I'll await Nessa's reply. Unless things go beyond my control, I’ll have finished testing by tomorrow.

I’m doing the same as you – inviting friends to partake the creations. :smile:

Husband is very indulgent to experiments and errors – but daughter may disown me one of these days... :shock::biggrin:

Edited by bague25 (log)
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The recipe is correct, at least its the way I made it. I took careful notes. The coconut milk and yogurt do go into the batter, and the water is used to thin it a bit. I didn't have any trouble with the batter not sticking to the slices, so I am clueless how to advise. I cut the slices and then immediatly dipped them into the batter and then right into the oil.

I'm at a complete loss as to why the batter isnt sticking for you. :blink:

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Nessa, I just cant seem to make your recipe for eggplant pakoras.

The batter just fritters away from the slice unlike your perfect picture of the finished dish.

The recipe is correct, at least its the way I made it. I took careful notes. The coconut milk and yogurt do go into the batter, and the water is used to thin it a bit. I didn't have any trouble with the batter not sticking to the slices, so I am clueless how to advise. I cut the slices and then immediatly dipped them into the batter and then right into the oil.

I'm at a complete loss as to why the batter isnt sticking for you

If I might venture a guess, this may have to do with the difference in the variety of eggplants that you two are using? Perhaps one variety is high in moisture and the other is not?

I haven't tried the recipe yet, but that won't stop me from venturing an opinion...

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