Baingan Bharta ( Roasted Eggplant Chutney )

Ingredients:

Large Eggplant - 1
Tomatoes - 2 to 3
Onion ( finely chopped) - 1 medium
Ginger (grated) - 1" piece
Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Cumin - 1tsp
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1"
Red Chili - 1
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
• Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and tomatoes into thin slices as shown.
• Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant and place cut side down in a baking dish.
• Place sliced tomatoes in a separate baking dish and drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt.
• Bake the eggplant in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Now place cut tomatoes in the oven, along side eggplant and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove both eggplant and tomatoes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Now scrape off the eggplant and remove the peel. Set it aside.
• Add 1 tbsp of oil in a thick bottomed pan on medium heat.
• When the oil is hot add cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and chopped onion.
• When the onion is translucent about 3 minutes, add grated ginger, red chili cut into pieces and turmeric. Cook for a minute.
• Next add scraped eggplant, tomatoes, cilantro and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
• It is ready to be served.

Tip: Baking the eggplant makes this dish so much easier to prepare as opposed to roasting on stove top, which is a lot messier.