COLORED CAPSICUM AND EGGPLANT (BRINJAL) STIR FRY

This is a regular stir fry, which I make as a side dish for rice. It goes well with any spicy gravy or rasam and rice.

Ingredients:
1. Onion, medium-size, 1, diced into small pieces.
2. Tomato, small, 1, cut into small piece.
3. Green chilies, 2, slit into 2.
4. Eggplant, any type, coming around to a cup when cut into small pieces. It should be soaked in water until it is ready to be cooked. If Indian brinjal variety is used, it can be cut into long strips.
5. Colored bell pepper, coming around to a cup when cut into small pieces.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
7.  Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8.  Chili powder or sambar powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Salt as per taste.
10. Curry leaves or cilantro for garnishing.
11. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
12. Fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with some oil.  When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the fennel seeds and fry for a few seconds. Now add the diced onions and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.  Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste and keep frying everything until everything is well blended.  Now add the sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and keep frying for a few more minutes under low flame until the powders lose their raw smell. Now add the chopped bell peppers and brinjals, mix everything and cook closed for 5-10 minutes under low flame until the vegetables are cooked and the dish is dry.