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Chanukah (or Hannukah, Chanuka, Hanuka, or  however you spell it!) starts this evening and last for 8 days.  Jewish people all over the world will light the menorah (9 pronged candle stick) to commemorate the miracle of the oil.  If you want more info about Chanukah then click here: http://www.aish.com/h/c/

To celebrate Chanukah it is customary to cook foods in oil (and then wonder why our waist lines have expanded!   )  I had some left over aubergine from when I made aubergine chutney and was wondering what to do with it, so I came up with the idea of Chanukah Fritters.

Ingredients:

• a medium sized aubergine (eggplant)
• 1 large egg
• 100g matzo meal or flour
• salt
• vegetable oil for shallow frying

Method:

1. Wash your aubergine well and cut into slices about 1cm thick, leaving the skin on.
2. Lightly salt the aubergine slices on both sides.  This is not done to remove any water or bitterness (I have yet to come across a bitter aubergine these days), but to add seasoning.
3. Check the egg and place it in a shallow dish.  Beat the egg with a fork.
4. In another shallow dish put the matzo meal or flour.  If you like you can add a little pepper to the matzo meal, but I didn’t this time.
5. Open the kitchen window and do the 1970s housewife scarf thing because the smell of frying will get everywhere!
6. Heat a large non-stick frying pan on high and pour in a little vegetable oil.  How much depends on how big your frying pan is.  Essentially you want enough oil to shallow fry the aubergine fritters without drowning them.
7. Dip a slice of aubergine first into the egg and then into the matzo meal (coat both sides), and place carefully in the frying pan using a non-stick fish slice.
8. Keep doing this with all the slices of aubergine.  You may find you need to use another egg or matzo meal; use your own judgement.  Also if your frying pan is small that it is best to cook the aubergine fritters in batches.
9. The aubergine fritters need to be flipped over after a few minutes and cooked for a few minutes more (do keep an eye on the cooker heat and turn it down if need be), and then put on a plate with plenty of kitchen roll to soak up excess oil.
10. Note1: Remember don’t leave the fritters at any time to answer the phone or whatever – safety first (I know I’m being a mother hen     )
11. Note2: If you are unsure if the inside of the fritter is done then pierce with a knife and if the aubergine is soft, it is done.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Chanukah!