Brinjal Pickles

 

Brinjal pickle is a beloved sweet-sour-spicy treat among Goans (people of Goa, India). While seafood often takes center stage in their cuisine, this delightful dish rivals favorites like molho (sauce used for Fish dishes) and balchao (another sauce used for Fish dishes). Each bite offers a journey of flavors—from sweet to tangy, finishing with a warm kick. With its rich taste and texture, it's no wonder that "a little goes a long way"!

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 Sprigs of curry leaves

10 garlic cloves

1 inch ginger

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup sugar, adjust as per taste

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Salt to taste

For the masala paste

25-30 nos. dried Kashmiri red chilies

10 nos. garlic cloves

1- inch ginger

1 cup  red wine vinegar or as required for grinding

Instructions

Wash the eggplant well, pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin. Cut into big chunks, place in salted water for 5 minutes. Remove from the water and leave them on a clean cloth to dry out under direct sunlight for a few hours. You can do this for 2 days if required.

Dry roast the mustard seeds until they begin to pop, transfer to a clean sheet of paper, and crush them with a rolling pin to break apart the husk. Discard the husks as much as possible by gently blowing it off.

Make a fine paste of red chilies, 10 garlic cloves, and a 1-inch ginger piece, using about 1 cup vinegar, adding in increments. Slice the remaining garlic into thin pieces, and the remaining 1-inch ginger into juliennes

Heat oil in a heavily bottomed pot, add garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Then add ginger sauté for another few seconds. Add curry leaves, sauté until they turn crisp.

Add the ground paste, stir-fry the paste on medium heat until the rawness is gone, about 3-4 minutes.

Extract the remaining paste from the blender using the remaining 1/2 cup of vinegar, and add to the pot along with sugar, salt, and the mustard powder.

Add the dried eggplant pieces and mix well with the masala. Simmer for another minute and switch off the heat. Once it cools down, store it in a sterilized airtight container. Let it mature on the countertop for about 2 weeks. You can store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.                                                                                                                                            

Indian Cuisine, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Vegan Cuisine