Wash and pat dry the begun or eggplant. Make sure it doesn't have any small holes on its surface, which are usually indicative of the presence of insects. If you find some, then carve such a portion out, thus making sure that the vegetable is fit for consumption.

Cut off the top stem and discard it. Now slice the remaining begun into an inch-thick slices. Too thin would make the begun bhaja fall apart while cooking, and too thick would leave the centre uncooked.

Lay the eggplant pieces on a plate and sprinkle some turmeric powder, salt, and a pinch of sugar on them. Smear them nicely so that they get coated well. Now turn them over and repeat the process.

Allow them to sit for 4-5 minutes. You will find them releasing some water. Discard that water.

Now, heat some mustard oil in a skillet or a frying pan. Eggplant soaks up a lot of oil initially, so keep that in mind. You might need to add some more midway.

Once the oil is smoking hot, turn down the heat and let it cool down a bit. Once cooled, place the eggplant slices gently in the pan. Be very careful, as it is going to splatter a lot. Now allow them to cook on medium-low heat. We are looking for a beautiful dark brown colour while the center cooks.

Once done, turn them over. If you find the pan dry, drizzle a teaspoon of oil, but not more. It may seem less now, but once done, these begun bhaja pieces will release the oil back into the pan.

When both sides are done beautifully, dark brown, take the begun bhaja out very gently and serve them hot.