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.

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Idli

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup
Idli rava - 2 and 1/2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• Clean and soak urad dal and idli rava separately for 6 to 8 hours.
• Grind them together to a smooth batter with little water.
• Add salt to batter and mix well.
• Cover and keep in a warm place overnight for fermenting.
• Once fermented mix well with a wooden spoon, allowing air to escape.
• Grease the bottom of individual idli moulds with oil. Place batter in each idli mould.
• Add 2 cups of water to a large vessel on medium high heat.
• Place the idli stand in the vessel and cover and steam cook for 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Next dip a spoon in cold water and carefully remove each idli.

It is ready to be served. Goes well with groundnut chutney.

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