Baked Brinjals

Ingredients

• 1 kg Large brinjal (for bajji)
• 1/4 cup Maida (all-purpose flour)
• 2 Tablespoons Rice flour
• 100 Grams Cooking cheese
• 1/4 cup Tomato sauce
• as needed Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Chili powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper powder
• 1/2 cup Dried bread crumbs
• Oil (as needed)

Instructions

1. Wash the brinjal and slice into thin rounds. Drop into salted water so it doesn't discolor.
2. Mix the maida, rice flour, salt, and chili powder with water into a bajji-style batter.
3. Pat the brinjal slices dry, dip in the batter, and roll in the bread crumbs. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden.
4. Grease a round baking dish with butter and arrange one layer of the fried brinjal. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper powder, spread a little tomato sauce, and scatter some grated cheese on top.
5. Add a second layer of brinjal on top and repeat the sauce and cheese layering. Continue until the dish is three-quarters full, finishing with an extra-generous layer of cheese on top.
6. Bake in a preheated oven until the cheese melts fully and turns lightly golden on top. Serve hot.