Vengna no Patiyo ~ Eggplant/Aubergine Chutney

Vengna no Patio

Eggplant or Aubergine Chutney

The perfect patiyo/patiya depends on the right combination of spicy, sour, and sweet/thikku-khattu-mitthu. Taste the patiyo/patiya for what your family may find delicious and adjust it accordingly. 
This is served with Khichri, fried fish or fried fish roe-gharab and papad. 

This patiya is the vegetarian version served on happy occasions like weddings, navjotes or birthdays with Dhundar (golden yellow lentils) and boiled rice.

This recipe serves 6 

1kg/2.2lb thinly sliced onions, fried golden brown.

1 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp red chilli powder, less if you prefer it less spicy

¾  tsp turmeric

1 ½ tsp salt

4 medium to large crushed tomatoes

2 raw mangoes

1/2 tsp garam masala 

800g / 2 lb  baby small eggplants, washed and slit down the middle

1 tbsp jaggery

optionally add 2 whole slit green chillies

 

In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and add the turmeric, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, and salt, and give it a stir. Add the tomatoes, fried onions and give it a stir. Add the garam masala and raw mangoes. Cover and cook on a low fire till the "oil separates" and shows like little droplets on the sides of the pan. This will take about 30 minutes. Add crushed jaggery; let it melt and mix well.

Add, 800g/ 2 lb eggplants and simmer them for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.

Optionally, add some chopped coriander leaves at this time.

Keeping the cover tightly sealed, let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Tips

The patiya/patiyo is not liquidy, but neither is it dry. It will be done and ready when you see the drops of oil on the side of the pan. This is called "ghee/tayl or oil per avay". Once you add the jaggery for sweetness, the entire patia will have a beautiful shiny glaze over it. Now you are ready to add the eggplant and finish it.

For the perfect end result, taste for thiku-mithu-khatu/spicy, sweet, and sour.

Try the leftovers with a warm chapati or rotli and freshly sliced onion on the side. It is yum!

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.

The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photo credit Sheriar Hirjikaka