Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1                    medium-size eggplant -- washed but not
                        peeled
                        cut in half lengthwise -- and each half
                        sliced crosswise into 12 pieces
   1      tablespoon    salt
   1      cup           besan -- (chick-pea flour)
     1/4  cup           rice flour
   1      teaspoon      ground cumin
     1/4  teaspoon      ground hot red pepper
     3/4  cup           cold water
                        vegetable oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Drop the eggplant into a bowl, sprinkle it with salt, and turn the pieces about with a spoon to coat them evenly. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Combine the chick-pea flour, rice flour, cumin and red pepper in a deep bowl and, when they are well mixed, pour in the water, stirring constantly. Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a 10-inch karhai or 12-inch wok, or fill a deep fryer with oil to a depth of 2 or 3 inches. Heat the oil until it reaches a temperature of 350* on a deep-frying thermometer. Squeeze the eggplant pieces gently but firmly to remove as much of their moisture as possible. With tongs or a slotted spoon, dip one piece at a time into the batter and then drop it into the hot oil. Fry the eggplant in batches of 5 or 6 pieces for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides. As they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Baingan pakoras are traditionally served as a snack or as part of a meal.