Indian recipe

Spicy Aubergine Fry

Also known as eggplant fry, brinjal fry, baingan fry

A beginner-friendly spicy aubergine (eggplant) fry for students and home cooks. Shop for the spices first; then it's easy in any home, hostel or shared kitchen.

Did you know? Botanically, an aubergine is a berry, and it’s thought to have first been domesticated in India.
VegetarianVegBeginnerUniversity series⏱ ~25 min▶ Subscribe on YouTube
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Aubergine fry

  • 2aubergines (eggplants)
  • someoil
  • to tastesalt

Spices

  • someturmeric powder
  • somecumin seeds
  • somefennel seeds
  • to tastechilli powder
  • somecoriander powder
  • somegaram masala (see my Spices 101 guide)
  • someamchur (dry mango powder)
  • a pinchkasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  1. 1
    Prep. Get all the spices ready and cut the aubergines into pieces.
  2. 2
    Temper the seeds. Heat oil and add the cumin and fennel seeds.
  3. 3
    Add the aubergine with salt, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder, and fry, stirring, until soft.
  4. 4
    Finish with garam masala and amchur, then crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the top.
  5. 5
    Ready to serve.

Tips from the video

Shop for the spices first. Once you have them, this is one of the easiest dishes to cook.
Quick: about 5 minutes to prep and 20 to cook.
New to these spices? My Spices 101 guide explains each one.
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From the hacks library · added 6 Nov

Make your own chai masala

Toast whole spices for 5 minutes, blend to a powder, and add a pinch whenever you make tea. It's homemade masala chai in seconds. From Masala Chai →

Browse all hacks →

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