Baingan ka bharta (Indian baba ghanoush)

This dish is quite famous amongst Bengalis. We call it "Begun-pora"- (burnt brinjal). Also called as "Baingan ka bharta" in Hindi. It is cooked through out the country and can be eaten anytime .
In olden times these eggplant were roasted on charcoal or open fires, I have heard from my grannies that they used to cook this religiously on Tuesdays and Saturdays to ward of evil (It is just a believe).

My grandma would take it out from the "chullah" (earthen stove filled with charcoal), & peel the roasted eggplants and smash it, mix the spices, add some mustard oil just before everyone sat for dinner.

I tried my best to recreate that taste using my gas stove. Wish my grandma was alive to taste this. The process is somewhat similar to our slow cooking in medium-heat method. 

Video Recipe

                           

Ingredients

• 2 big brinjals (eggplants, as shown in pic)
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 2 green chillies (chopped)
• 1 big onion or 2 medium ones (chopped)
• 2 tsp of mustard oil
• Coriander leaves chopped
• Salt according to your taste

Procedure

• Make puncture holes on the brinjals (using a knife, by poking the eggplant) as shown in the picture and insert the garlics as illustrated in the pics

                                    

                                 

• Insert 5 garlic cloves in each eggplant

• Then roast the brinjals thoroughly on your gas stove (if you dont want to dirty your stove use a frying pan), so that the inside gets cooked well and is not raw and hard.

• There will be juices coming out from your eggplant as you roast it.( it will spill on your stove, you can clean it later)
• Now peel the burnt cover slowly as it's very hot.
• Then add few drops of mustard oil, chopped onion, chilli, coriander leaves and salt.
• Smash and mix the whole thing together.
• If you think it needs to be heated again, you can just microwave t for 2 minutes before serving

~Enjoy~

P.S. : What is baba ghanoush? 

Wikipedia: Baba ghanoush

Stuffed Egg plant (Brinjal)

This is another interesting way of eating eggplant. There are several varieties of brinjal that you may find in the market. We will be using the small round ones for this dish. By stuffing the brinjal with a spicy mix almost like a pico de gallo/salsa fresca, but a little more spicy, It turns into a tasty delight :)

                     

 Western Variety of eggplant to be used>

Ingredients:

• 10 small sized eggplants cut  like a flower (as in pic)

For stuffing:

• 3 tomatoes - diced finely
• 2 big onions - diced finely
• 10 garlic pods - chopped
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 Tsp of chilli powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp of amchur (dry mango) powder 
• 1 tsp of garam masala powder
• 2 tsp of oil
• 1 tsp of ghee

Procedure:

• Apply a little salt and turmeric on the brinjals like marination and fry them well. Keep these fried brinjals aside for the stuffing later, Let them cool down as you may burn your hands while stuffing them while they are still hot.
• Pour oil into a pan and heat it up. Then add the onions and fry until golden brown.
• Then add the chopped garlic, followed by tomatoes & cook for around 5 minutes.
• Then add all the spices one by one. Remember to cook in medium flame after you add the spices.
• Once you see the oil separating from the spicy stuffing then add salt according to your taste. 
• I have added 1 tsp of sugar too, so that it is balanced and not too spicy.
• Stir it well. Lastly add garam masala and ghee and give it a nice stir.

            <The stuffing

• Let the stuffing that we just made, cool down.
• Then fill all the brinjals  by stuffing the mixture inside the slit that you made. Put in a lot of stuffing, As it tastes even better.
• If there is extra stuffing left over just use it around the brinjals as it is and serve by sprinkling some coriander/ parsley leaves on the top for extra crunch. 

~Enjoy~

Eggplant in Poppy Seed Paste

This is a delicacy for Bengalis & Various dishes using poppy seed paste is always welcomed in my family. It tastes delicious.  

It is also called "Begun Postho" in Bengali. Here is my EGGPLANT( BRINJAL ) IN POPPY SEED PASTE!

For this dish you will need long/slender eggplants (brinjal) which are very fresh otherwise there will be too many seeds in them.<-Asian long brinjal

Ingredients:

• 9-10 long, thin, fresh brinjals (cut into half, right in the middle)
• Poppy seeds 2 1/2 tablespoon
• White mustard seed - 1Tbsp
• Peanuts - 1 Tsp
• Green chilly- 6-7 
• 1 tomato cut into small pieces
• 1 onion cut into pieces. 
• 5-6 pods of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tsp of kalonji (nigella sativa seeds)
• Coriander leaves to garnish
• Oil for cooking
• 2 tsp of turmeric powder 
• 1 Tsp of sugar
• 1 Tsp of garam masala 

Procedure:

• First cut the brinjals into half and coat these with salt and turmeric powder. Then shallow fry these and keep it aside.

• Make a fine paste out of poppy seeds, green chillies, white mustard and peanuts.
• Put 2 Tsp of oil in the pan. When it's hot add 1 tsp of kalonji / kalajeera .Cook for one minute then add the onion and garlic pieces and Fry them till brown.
• At this point add the tomato, 1 tsp of turmeric powder and salt.
• Once the oil comes to the top, add the poppy mixture which you prepared before.

• Cook for 2 minutes and add a cup of water.
• Let it come to the boiling point then add the fried brinjals.

• Don't cook for long then the brinjals will get smashed and mix into the gravy.
• The gravy shouldn't be runny (liquid) nor too thick. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste. Reduce the gravy and make it slightly thickened.

Sprinkle some coriander leaves on top and serve.

Best enjoyed with Hot rice

ENJOY!