Brinjal-Capsicum Sauté - Keep it Simple and Easy

Brinjal-Capsicum Sauté

Brinjal-capsicum sauté is a simple dish made with basic ingredients and makes a elegant side dish for rice or chapathi. It is a easy to make and good to eat dish. During festivals or any day which calls for special food, this is a right choice.

For more of such recipes click - Stir fries / Poriyals

I do not have much to say about this recipe as it just came out when I thinking what to do with little brinjal and left over capsicum. Capsicum is such a versatile vegetable which complements any vegetable to which it is added. It does not need much time to cook too. So, today it goes with tender brinjals, into my favourite tool of my kitchen - iron kadai.

Brinjals.. I always pick the tender (இளசான) ones -  small.. shiny.. greener calyx cups (this shows that the brinjals have been plucked from the plants recently).. bigger calyx cups (this shows that they brinjal is still young and tender, as the brinjals become older in plants this calyx cup becomes small) and soft to touch and not hard as rock. I also dont mind buying the ones with holes (made by worms) on it - which shows that the brinjal is safe enough for the worm to live in it. hence, it should be safe for me too !!! I cut and remove the part with the holes or worms in it and use the rest.

Discard the parts affected by worms. 

Ingredients:

• Brinjals - 400 grams
• Capsicum - 1 big
• Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
• Salt as required
• Oil - 2 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
• urad dhal - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1 pinch
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Procedure:

• Wash and soak the brinjals and capsicum in slightly salt water for 15 minutes. (This is to get rid of the pesticides used on it as brinjals is supposed to be one of the vegetable which gets more pesticides than others).
• Cut the brinjals into long strips.. say one brinjal to 8 long strips. Keep it in water to avoid darkening. 
• Cut the capsicum too to same length.
• Heat oil in the iron kadai and add mustard and asafoetida.
• Add the capsicum and the brinjal to the oil and give a stir.
• Now add the salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder.
• Do not cover the pan. Saute it well till both brinjal and capsicum become soft and shrinks.
• Continue sauteing till the oil oozes out from the vegetables and forms nice brown crunchy crust at the bottom.
• Since it is iron kadai.. you can very well use the metal ladle and stir it without any fear of the peeling of any coating as in non-stick kadai.
• Leave it for another 5 minutes. Stir again. Lastly sprinkle the curry leaves and the final touch-up of flavour.. leave it to these curry leaves. Awesome.

If it is any lazy day.. then just make this brinjal and capsicum fry and have it with curd rice or chapathi. Keep it simple.. keep it easy.

Happy cooking !!