Begun Bhaja

A staple opener of the traditional Bengali bhaat (rice meal) sequence, where fried items go on the plate first to wake the palate before dal and curries. Eggplant (begun, 'the king vegetable') is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables of the Indian subcontinent, domesticated there well over two thousand years ago, and bhaja — meaning simply 'fried' — is the oldest Bengali cooking verb applied to vegetables, predating the curry-house mithai era.

First-course wake-up of the Bengali bhaat sequence; eggplant has been cultivated in the Ganges delta since at least the 12th century. Salt-and-turmeric the slices fifteen minutes first or they steam in their own water and never crisp.

Half-inch eggplant rounds, edges crisp and almost lacquered, centers gone soft and creamy. Turmeric stains them yellow; salt is the only other seasoning. Mustard oil does the work — the rounds taste faintly of horseradish under the eggplant sweetness. Eaten as the first course of a Bengali rice meal, with dal poured over rice. Should bend without breaking; if it shatters, sliced too thin.

Salt-and-turmeric the slices and let them sit fifteen minutes — the salt pulls out water that would otherwise steam the eggplant in the pan. Mustard oil must be smoked first or it tastes raw; then the rounds go in hot enough to seal immediately. Flipping more than once breaks the crust. The good cook gets one flip and pulls them when oil stops bubbling around the edge.