Ingredients
- 1 Large Red Onion
- 1 Large Eggplant
- 2 Tbsp Black Pepper Corns
- 1 Cup Plain Flour
- 2 Tbsp Salt
- 1/4 Cup Vinegar
- Extra flour
- 1/2 Cup Oil for frying
Method
Slice the onion thinly. In a generous bowl, mix the onion, 1 Tbsp of salt and the vinegar and mix it well with your hands to get a good coating onto the onion. Leave it sit while you cook the eggplant.Cut the eggplant into 1.5cm-2cm thick slices. If your eggplant tends to be bitter, salt the slices for 5 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. I generally don't bother.
Crush the pepper medium fine in a mortar.
Make a thin batter with the flour, pepper and a pinch of salt - just add water and keep stirring until the batter runs like thick pouring cream.
Heat the frying pan before you put oil in it. Pour oil in the pan until it is about half a centimetre deep. The level will go down with each batch, so top it up as you go. The oil should be hot enough that the batter sizzles as soon as it hits the oil.
Fry the eggplant: Take each slice, dredge it with flour - don't worry too much if it doesn't stick very well, then dip it in the batter and lay it in the pan. Note: always place, never drop, items in hot oil so that the last bit goes in facing away from you. That way, if it does splash, it splashes your splashback, not you.
Give them about 2 minutes on the first side, then another minute or so on the flipside. Then drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle a little salt on them while they are hot.
Drain the onion. Rinse it in water - just enough to remove any excess salt.
Serve the eggplant with a spoonful of onion.
Notes
The eggplant should be creamy and soft. Use the first one to fine-tune the heat and timing. If it is leathery and undercooked, reduce the heat and extend the cooking time. If it's too dark, turn down the heat, if it isn't brown enough, turn the heat up.If you don't like raw onion, try this light pickle preparation. It takes all of the heat and some of the headiness out of it. What's left is the savoury flavour and a crispy bite. The sourness of the vinegar balances the oil in the eggplant.
