How I followed this recipe (with some variations).

Today’s directions on the fridge board for me said, “D cook north Indian brinjal dish”

So I looked up

Tarla Dalal’s recipe

Ingredients To be mixed into a marinade 2 tbsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste 1 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) salt to taste 1 tsp oil Other ingredients 2 cups brinjals (baingan / eggplant), cut into 1" cubes oil for deep frying 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf) 1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson) 1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds 1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji) 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) 2 tbsp oil 1/2 cup sliced onions 1 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste 1 tsp chopped green chillies 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur) I used a little tamarind as there is no amchur powder in the kitchen. salt to taste 3/4 cup curds (dahi), whisked well 1/2 cup fresh cream I left out the cream. 3 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania) for the garnish Method Combine the brinjals with the prepared marinade and toss gently. Keep aside for 15 minutes. Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep-fry the brinjals in it till they are golden brown. Keep aside. I did not fry the brinjals, as it would have upped the calorie count steeply. Combine the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, onion seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida in a small bowl and keep aside. Heat the oil in a pan and add the above mixture. When the seeds crackle, add the onions, ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and sauté till the onions turn translucent. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, Punjabi garam masala, dry mango powder and salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the curds, fried brinjals and fresh cream and mix gently. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice or rotis.

No…keep the garnish, and transfer to a nice glass bowl so that it can be microwaved and garnished later in the evening!

And what the recipes never mention…clean the stove, the pan in which you’ve cooked, the ladles, the cutting-board, and make sure the kitchen does not look as if you’ve cooked there at all! All this while a certain baby is crawling around underfoot, trying to climb up your leg!