Name: Garam Masala Eggplants
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups jasmine rice; 1 teaspoon grated turmeric; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 stalk lemongrass; 2 pandan leaves; 3 slices dried galangal; 1 kaffir lime leaf; 1 tablespoon coriander powder; 1 tablespoon chili flakes; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 2 tablespoons rice flour ((see notes after the recipe)); 1 teaspoon ginger powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon garam masala; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 2 large eggplants (the kind with wide girth is best for this recipe); cooking oil (for frying)

Garam Masala Eggplants

Connie Veneracion

Sliced eggplants are dipped in spiced batter and fried on both sides until a crispy crust forms on the surface.

Serve garam masala eggplants as a side dish or a meatless main course.

For the best experience, enjoy with yellow rice.

Indian-style crispy fried eggplant with garam masala

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

To cook the yellow rice 20 mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian Fusion

Servings people

Ingredients

Yellow rice

2 cups jasmine rice
1 teaspoon grated turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 stalk lemongrass
2 pandan leaves
3 slices dried galangal
1 kaffir lime leaf

Garam masala batter

1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons rice flour (see notes after the recipe)
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
2 tablespoons lemon juice

To cook the eggplants

2 large eggplants the kind with wide girth is best for this recipe
cooking oil for frying

Instructions

Cook the yellow rice

Place the rice in the cooker and add the correct amount of water (see tips).
Stir in the grated turmeric and salt.
Tie the lemongrass and pandan leaves into knots, drop into the rice along with the galangal and kaffir lime leaf.
Cook the rice until all the water has been absorbed.
With a fork, fluff up the rice grains.

Prep the garam masala eggplants

While the rice cooks, mix together all the ingredients for the batter. Add just enough water to form a batter just thick enough to stick to the eggplant slices.
Cut the eggplants into rings between one-fourth and one-half inch.

Fry the garam masala eggplants

In a frying pan, with the heat set to medium, pour in enough cooking oil to reach a depth of about a quarter inch.
Dip each eggplant slice in the garam masala batter then lay in the hot oil until the batter on the underside is crisp. Flip to fry the opposite side (see notes after the recipe).
Serve the garam masala eggplants with yellow rice.

Notes

Unlike wheat flour, rice flour is gluten-free and, therefore, makes a crispier crust. Make sure, however, that you use regular rice flour and NOT sticky rice flour.

Do the frying in batches. How many slices per batch depends on the size of the eggplant rings and the size of the pan.

Based on a recipe from Anto’s Kitchen.

Keyword Eggplants, Rice

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