• One large fresh eggplant
• 1 cup Garbanzo bean flour (Besan)
• Pinch of baking powder
• ½ tsp. turmeric powder
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp black cumin seeds (Kala Jeera)
• ½ tsp (or more) of hot sauce
• ½ cup water (add more as needed for a semi-thick batter)
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• *available at Indian grocery stores or many health food stores! I think Whole Foods may carry it in some places.

1. Cut the eggplant in half. Slice each half into slices about 1/8” thick. Thinner slices cook faster and taste better than thicker slices.
2. Mix garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, turmeric powder, salt and black cumin seeds together.
3. Add the hot sauce.
4. Add the water a few tablespoons at a time and mix well until the batter is semi-thick. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon yet still slide off the spoon. Make sure there are no lumps.
5. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed frying pan. A drizzle of batter will take 30 seconds to brown and rise to the surface when the oil is hot enough.
6. Dip the eggplant slices in the batter and then slide them into the hot oil. Fry about 5-6 slices at a time or the amount that your frying pan can hold.
7. Fry until a dark golden brown.
8. Serve piping hot with ketchup, hot sauce or cilantro chutney (see recipe below).
9. * Leftover batter can be used to coat onion pieces, potato slices or other vegetables. My family’s favourite combination is diced onion, diced potato and green peas.

A recipe from my friend Sonia. It's amazing! Best served with her cilantro chutney.