Brinjal (eggplant) pickle Recipe

• 1/2 cup mustard oil
• 1 tsp salt, or more to taste
• 4 cu in. ginger, minced into paste
• 1/2 bulb (8 cloves) garlic, minced into paste
• 1 lb eggplant (thin Indian or Japanese variety), cut into 1/4" x 1" strips
• 2 tsp mustard powder, or more to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp hot red chili powder (cayenne, de arbol), or more to taste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, roasted and ground
• 1 TB jaggery or piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar)
• 3/4 cup vinegar

1. Heat mustard oil in a skillet and fry the garlic & ginger till golden brown, then remove from heat.
2. Add eggplant, salt mustard powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin and fenugreek into the ginger garlic. Cook for 5 miniutes till the eggplant just starts to collapse (kind of al dente).
3. In a separate vessel dissolve the jaggery in vinegar by heating on a low heat, then remove.
4. Add the jaggery and vinegar mixture to the eggplant mixture and simmer for about one minute more, then remove.
5. Cool and transfer to a tight sealing clean jar. Clean off any external residue since the mustard oil will stain.
6. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before use.