Guide to Indian Grocery Store Vegetables: Brinjals!

(Picture: A woman pulling giant aubergines from a tree, Kalighat school of painting, 19th century)

 

Did you know that the earliest known curry from the Indian subcontinent, from 4000 years ago (Harappan civilization) was a <drum roll> brinjal curry!

Aubergine/brinjal is native to the Indian subcontinent and what food historians and archaeologists found was a simple proto-curry of aubergine, sesame oil, ginger, turmeric ✨

India has an immense variety of brinjals/aubergines. South Indian cuisine is full of incredible recipes that put aubergines and PODIs to good good use. 

Here are three wonderful ways to cook aubergines and put your PODIs to use:

• flame roast aubergines, mash them, let it cool. mix with raw, finely diced red onion, mix with tamarind paste and Crunchy Peanut PODI 
• slit and bake aubergines until soft, let it cool. mix with raw, finely dined onion, cook tomatoes with some Crunchy Peanut PODI and mix with lot of fresh mint and cilantro 
• sautee aubergines in a gravy of onions, tomato, Spicy Coconut PODI and Crunchy Peanut PODI, and garnish with a freshly tempering of garlic and bloomed spices