Baingan ka bharta

Ingredients:

• 3 medium-sized brinjals (roughly 500gms/ 1 pound)
• 2 tbsps vegetable/ sunflower cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
• 1 tbsp garlic paste or garlic chopped very fine
• 1″ piece of ginger grated fine
• 2 green chillies (optional but they give the Bharta a nice kick!)
• 2 large tomatoes chopped fine
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala (see link below for recipe to make your own)
• 2 tbsps finely chopped fresh green coriander

Preparation:

Baingan Ka Bharta requires that the brinjals be roasted. This can be done in several different ways:

Roast on a gas cooktop by just placing the eggplant straight on the burner and keeping the flame on low setting. Keep turning and cooking till all the skin on the brinjal is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft. A good sign to watch for is that the eggplant seems to `cave in` on itself!

Grill in your oven grill or on your barbecue grill. Again, keep turning periodically till all the skin on the brinjal is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft.

`Roast` in your oven till all the skin on the brinjal is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft.

Once the brinjal is roasted, allow to cool fully and then peel off and discard the charred skin. Once cool, coarsely mash and keep aside for later use. via