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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Guttu Vankai Koora ( Stuffed Indian Eggplant Curry )

Ingredients:

Indian Eggplant - 12 to 18 (even sized)
Peanut Butter - 5 tsp
Vangi bhath powder - 5 tsp
Rice flour - 3 tsp
Pepper powder -1/2 tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Wash the eggplants. Slit them lengthwise as as shown in the picture. Set them aside.
• Mix together peanut butter, vanghi bhath powder, rice flour and pepper powder into a paste.
• Stuff the mixed peanut butter paste into every eggplant.
• Place the eggplants in a flat bottomed pan with 2 table spoons of oil.
• Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Turn the eggplants over to cook the other side.
• Cover and cook for 5 more minutes. It's ready to be served. Goes well with steamed rice.

Tip: By using peanut butter instead of whole peanuts, you can save tons of prep time.

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Vangi Bhath Powder

Ingredients:

Almonds - 1 Tbsp
Cashew nuts - 1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Red chilies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - 8 to10
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2" piece
Cardamom - 2

Procedure:

• Dry roast all the above ingredients and grind them into a fine powder. Coffee grinder seems to work the best for grinding spices.

Vangi Bhath powder is readily available in most Indian grocery stores. I usually use the MTR brand. If you cannot find it follow the above recipe.

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Vankaya Vepudu ( Indian Eggplant Fry )

Ingredients:

Indian Egg plant - 6 to 8
Besan - 2 Tbsp
Rice flour - 2 Tbsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder (Dhaniya) - 1 tsp
Cumin powder (Zeera) - 1tsp
Salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Add 2 Tbsp oil in a pan on medium high heat.
• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and add to the pan. Add turmeric and salt.
• Cook for 5 to 7 minutes and flip them and cook for 5 to 7 more minutes.
• In the meantime heat besan in microwave for a minute.
• To this add rice flour, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder and mix well.
• Sprinkle this powder on the eggplant pieces.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

It is ready to be served.

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Vangibhat

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Eggplant - 1 lb
Cilantro (chopped) - 1 cup
Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaves - 2
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon piece - 1"
Vangi bhat powder (MTR) - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Ghee - 1 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fresh lime juice - 1 tsp
Salt per taste

Procedure:

• Add oil to a large pan on medium heat.
• When oil is hot add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds and cashew nuts.
• When the nuts are golden brown add eggplant pieces, salt and turmeric.
• Mix well and cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes stirring occasionally or till the eggplant pieces are tender.
• Now add cilantro and MTR vanghibhat powder and mix well. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat. Add cooked rice , lime juice, ghee and mix well. It's ready to be served.

You can serve with plain yogurt or any raita.

Note: If you cannot find MTR Vangibath powder, you can follow my recipe for Vangibath powder.

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Eggplant Fry (Menthi Vankai Vepudu)

Ingredients:

Long egg plant - 5
Chana dal - 2 Tbsp
Urad dal - 2 Tbsp
Red chilies - 2 or 3
Methi (Fenugreek) - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

• In a pan add 1 tsp oil on low heat. Roast chanadal, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and red chilies.
• Once roasted grind them into a smooth powder with coriander powder. Set it aside.
• In a pan heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium heat. Add eggplant (cut into big chunks), turmeric and salt to taste. Mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• When the eggplant turns golden brown turn them over to the other side. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Sprinkle the dry roasted powder. Mix gently and let it cook for 2 more minutes. It is ready to be served.

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Eggplant Pakora ( Vankaya Bajji)

Ingredients:

Besan - 3 cups
Eggplant - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Slice eggplant into thin circles.
• In a bowl add basin, cumin seeds, chili powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Add water to make a thick batter.
• Dip each slice of eggplant in the batter and deep fry until golden brown.

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