Broccoli-Brinjal Fry

Today, I'll share a quick stir fry recipe combining broccoli and brinjal. As broccoli is quite hard to incorporate in our Indian taste bud, I look for some interesting way to put this vegetable in our diet. Specially, kids are quite reluctant to eat this vegetable. Broccoli taste good while still in shape after cooking, not over-cooked. So one day, I made broccoli fry this way and my daughter liked it and from then she eats broccoli. I add this vege in pasta or pulao, someway in our diet because of the health benefits of this. Read more to know the health benefits and include broccoli in your diet.
 Broccoli is well established as one of the major anti-cancer foods. Numerous studies have concluded again and again that people who eat an abundance of broccoli have fewer cancers of the colon, breast, cervix, lungs, prostate, esophagus, larynx, and bladder. Broccoli contains some 3% of protein and is one of the richest vegetable sources of calcium, iron and magnesium, also loaded with antioxidants and protective phytochemicals which reduces the risk of many diseases, like Cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cataracts and osteoporosis. Broccoli also contains some of the highest levels of vitamins A and C of any food.

Health Benefits :

• Anti-Cancerous - protective against bladder, ovarian, prostate even lung cancer
  
• Heart healthy
• Phytonutrients in Broccoli helps in detoxification, the cleansing process through which our bodies eliminate harmful compounds.
• Support stomach health
• An Immune system booster
• A birth defect fighter : Folic acid present in broccoli prevents many birth defects. So, pregnant woman must include Broccoli in their diet.

This broccoli-brinjal fry goes very well as a side dish with roti, paratha or even rice.

Ingredients :

Broccoli head : 1 (big)
Brinjal : 1/2 cup (cubed)
Onion : 1(medium-sliced)
Garlic : 3-4 cloves(grated)
Tomato : 1(small-chopped)
Green chilli : 2 (chopped)
Mustard Seed : 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder : 2 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1-2 tsp. (as per taste)
salt to taste
Sugar : 1 tsp.
Oil : 2-3 tblsp.

Method :

• Cut each florets into half to quarter pieces(as desired). Cut brinjal in medium size chunks. Soak cut broccoli florets in hot water for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt.
  
• Heat 1 tblsp.oil in a pan, throw the broccoli florets, add little salt and stir fry them for a minute or two. Cover lid and lower the flame to sim. Stir fry time to time uncovering the lid. Fry until it gets tender and lightly browned. It won't take long about 5 mins. Remove and keep aside. This way, you can cook them without much oil added.
  
• In the same pan, heat up 1 tblsp.oil and add brinjal pieces. Sprinkle little salt and fry them too until soft and browned. Keep aside. In same pan, add rest of the oil, temper with mustard seed, when splutters, add grated garlic and onions. Saute until onions get soft, add green chillies, tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder.
• Mix well all the masalas and then add fried broccoli and brinjal pieces. Mix well with the masala and stir fry for 3-4 minutes in medium flame. Add sugar and mix well. Check the seasoning. Add if needed. Take care, while frying, broccolis should not loose their texture. Do not over cook them.
  

Combine it with any cooked dal and serve hot with roti, chapati, or rice. You can see, It needs very less oil, less spice and still taste yummmmmmmmm..try this out

This is on the way to Sudeshna's event, "Think Spice: Think Turmeric",

which is a branchild of Sunita of Sunita's World.