Baigani ......... Eggplant Fritters

There is a big tamarind tree opposite our house. One of my favorite pass time was staring at that tree for hours. I would look at it and my imagination would take a flight of fantasy. Many a times that tree would look like a big black monster .... the huge trunk representing the face and the branches looked like unkept hair !! It was home to many birds ..... every year I would see a lot of cranes and crows making their nest there. Some how I never got bored staring at it..... I could do that for hours.

One evening when I was in my world of fantasy ......... I was woken up by a loud voice. My mother was asking me to run to the terrace to pick up the washed clothes from the cloth line. The sky had turned grey and there was a mild cool breeze. It could rain any time. I hurried towards the terrace like an obedient child and started picking the clothes. It had begun to drizzle. I handed over the clothes to my mother and ran towards the veranda. I didn't want to miss watching the rain. Pitter Patter ..... it had started to come down and the aroma of the parched earth had spread every where. Sooner the small water droplets had turned into big blobs .... there were tiny winy rainbows on each water bubble before they bursted in a fraction. I climbed on the big cane chair on our veranda .... and sat there watching the downpour.Like the tamarind tree this chair was also permanent ..... I had never seen anyone move it around.

The birds on the tree continued their loud chattering ..... I thought they were getting uncomfortable with the sudden downpour or may be their mothers were yelling at the disobedient ones asking them to get inside the nests. My imagination took wings till I saw some kids from our neighbourhood come out on the roads with umbrellas, splashing water at each other and jumping into small puddles of water. They talked loudly as they walked past our house. I felt jealous of them and wondered how liberal and good their parents were !!

I went inside and carefully pulled out an old newspaper from the pile. I started making paper boats and was waiting for an opportunity to float them. Just to my rescue there was someone who came to our house with an umbrella. He had come to visit my grandpa.

I noticed everyone inside the house were busy. It was a golden opportunity for me. I took his umbrella and sneaked out of the veranda into our garden. I too jumped in the small puddles trying to imitate the kids who had walked past and rowed my paper boats. But moments of happiness don't last long.I had to hurry back. Else I was afraid mom would hold me by my ears and drag me inside !

I scurried back to my favorite spot and started watching the family of birds chattering away. I saw my mother walk up to me with a plate of Baigani. She looked concerned seeing me a little wet. She held me softly and ruffled my wet hair as I munched the fritters with some ketchup.

Preparation Time - 30 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Chopped Eggplant - 3 cups

Gram Flour - 1/2 cup

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1 Cut Eggplant into thin long slices. Wash and keep aside.

2 Sprinkle salt, red chili powder and coriander powder on them.

3 Add the Gram Four over it. Sprinkle some water to make a thick batter that sticks around the Eggplant pieces.

4 Heat oil in a kadhai. Drop the Eggplants and fry till cooked.

Serving Tips

Serve hot with your choice of ketchup

In Odisha, people eat by mixing puffed rice

Variations

You may prepare a batter of gram four separately and dip the eggplant and then fry.

To make it more crunchy, add some rice flour.

Other Names

Baigani - Bringjal Fritters, Eggplant Fritters, Eggplant - Bringjal/ Baingan ,Coriander - Dhania