Cooking Pleasures: 'Hot' Aubergine Curry (Vankaaya Koora)

Aubergines are one such vegetable which can be said as "Versatile". Here I mean , when they are cooked along with any other vegetables, it does'nt loose its flavour and easily "Adaptable". Here again I mean, it can be cooked with different vegetables. I felt this is the best way to explain Augbergines also called "Brinjal", also called "Egg plants" (which are called "Vankaayalu" in telugu "Baingan" in Hindi). Like its nature it has got many names in one language :-))Today I have choosen this recipe with Brinjal, because it itself is a main ingredient in this curry.Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:
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Augbergines 10 to 15 No's ("small Brinjals" cut them into small cubes)

1 large onion (cut the onions into thin slices)

3 to 4 garlic cloves (washed and grated thinely)

3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

3/4 cumin seeds

1tsp moong dal

4 to 5 curry leaves

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

salt as per taste

1 tbsp oil (or else restrict to 2 to 3 tsp as desired)

Method:

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Cut the Augbergines into small cubes. Wash them, sprinkle with salt and keep aside for 1/2hr. By doing so, impurities in Brinjal will be cleared.
Heat the oil and add the fenugreek and cumin seeds. When they have started to crackel, add the oinion,garlic,lentils and curry leaves.
As soon as onions starts changing color add all the ground spices.
Until above ingredients cook a little, meanwhile rinse the Augbergines and pat dry.
Now add them to the pan, and allow to cook till they become tender.(Be careful that they are not over cooked and lose their shape)
This dish can be served hot or cold with rice or chapathis.