Eggplant Pickles – Brinjal Pickles

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 eggplant(s) (approx. 300 g)
• ½ tsp chili powder or 6 chili peppers (approx. 6 cm), dried, ground
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 small pieces of fresh ginger, approx. 2 x 2 x 2 cm each
• 1 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp black mustard powder
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds, whole
• 1 tsp turmeric, ground
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Sambal Oelek or equivalent fresh chili peppers
• 5 curry leaves, crushed
• ⅛ tsp fenugreek
• 2 tsp, leveled salt
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 tbsp sugar
• n. B. water

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

spicy Indian spread

Make a thick spice paste from the ground spices (it’s best to grind them together beforehand), 2 crushed garlic cloves, and one of the grated ginger pieces, and set aside. Then cut the eggplant into very fine cubes with an edge length of no more than 5 mm (the fineness determines the spreadability). Finely chop the remaining garlic clove and finely chop or grate the second piece of ginger. Heat the oil in a pot (large enough to stir easily from time to time), add the whole mustard seeds, and let them pop (over low heat with the lid closed so they don’t burn). Then add the curry leaves, garlic, ginger, and sambal oelek and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggplant cubes and fry until they are nice and soft. Stir frequently to prevent burning; add a little water if necessary. Now add the tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar and continue to simmer until everything has a thick, mushy consistency. Let cool and pour into jars. The spread will keep in the refrigerator for about 6 months. Fresh, it tastes very spicy; it takes about 1-2 days to reach its irresistible flavor. This recipe can be easily prepared with up to 3 eggplants in a standard 3-4 liter pot. The most time-consuming part is chopping the eggplants; the rest can be done almost as a side dish.