Baingan Bharta

[Sundae in the Park]

4 hours ago, Simul Parikh said:

I have a killer baingan bharta recipe. Made it this weekend for the feast and it disappeared before I could even have any.  16 people crushed pretty much everything made.

Care to share? I haven't tried to make it in a while...

[Bart]

Yeah, I'd love to see it too!

Semi related:  Years ago Rasika had Butternut Squash Bharta on the menu, but sadly it has disappeared.  I found this recipe on line somewhere a while back and it's fantastic.  I could eat this every day!

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BHARTA

 

Butternut Squash  1 Each (2-3 Lb)

Oil  1 Tablespoon

Cumin Seeds  1 Teaspoon

Onion Chopped 1 Cup

Tomato Chopped  1 Cup

Ginger Chopped  1 Tablespoon

Garlic Chopped  1 Tablespoon

Green Chili Chopped  2 Each

Turmeric Powder  1 Teaspoon

Red Chili Powder  1 Teaspoon

Cilantro Chopped  1 Tablespoon

Juice of Lemon  1 Teaspoon

Salt        To Taste

 

PREPARATION

 

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the butternut squash  into 2 pieces, lengthwise. Remove the seeds from inside. Take a baking sheet / dish and add 1/4 inch water. Place the squash cut sides down and bake for around an hour till the squash is fork soft. Cool and remove the skin and coarsely mash.

 

Heat oil in a skillet. When hot, put cumin let them crackle.  Add garlic & fry till golden color.  Add ginger & green chili. Fry for a minute.  Add chili powder & turmeric powder & tomato.  Cook on slow fire till tomatoes get mushy & oil starts oozing out.  Add squash & cook till it gets mashed, stirring continuously.  Add salt, lemon juice & cilantro.  Check for the seasoning & serve hot.

[Simul Parikh]

That recipe above for butternut squash is very similar to what I do for the baingan I made.

I did 3 eggplants, which made a lot of food, so will cut it to 1/3

1 big eggplant, 1" ginger, 2 tomatoes, one chili pepper, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 a bell pepper (green or red fine, red sort of looks nicer), 1 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp cilantro, 1/4 tsp garam masala.

1. Pre-heat oven to 400. Bake the eggplant for at least 40-60 min. Rotate it every 15 to 20 min. The skin will get really dark, and it may collapse, but it may not. Should be super soft.

2. Put it aside, b/c it's super hot, and too hard to peel right now. Just put a gash in it to let some steam out.

3. In a food processor or blender, blend the tomatoes, ginger and a chili pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, red chili powder (definitely can omit this). I used 3 green little chilis and it was so spicy, so adjust accordingly. Note, no garlic. This recipe didn't have it, but certainly can add it. 

4. Stir fry the bell pepper, set it aside

5. Make the vaghar. Heat up oil, and when hot, put in cumin and if you have hing can put that in, too. When it's poppin'... 

6. Add the tomato mixture. Cook for 5-10 min until it starts to separate (that fluid comes up on the surface).

7. Peel the eggplant, take the tops off (the top is chewy and gross). Puree it in a food processor.

8. Add the eggplant to the rest of the dish. Stir, cook for 10 min.

9. Add bell pepper, cilantro, and garam masala. Stir. 

10. Serve!

Any idea why Indian recipes always say to add garam masala at the very end, as opposed to all the other spices?

 

[SilverBullitt]

I've used Petrina Verma Sarkar's recipe for bharta and my family has enjoyed it very much.  It looks like it's chunkier than yours.

http://indianfood.about.com/od/vegetarianrecipes/r/bainganbharta2.htm

I've found her recipes to be reliable.  Her recipe for prawn (or any seafood) balchao is excellent too, though I puree the sauce ingredients before adding the shrimp.

http://indianfood.about.com/od/fishandseafoodrecipes/r/prawnbalchao.htm

I think one of the key techniques in Indian cooking is your number 6 (cooking till the oil comes to the top). 

 

[dracisk]

3 hours ago, Simul Parikh said:

Make the vaghar. Heat up oil, and when hot, put in cumin and if you have hing can put that in, too.

What is vaghar? (I was also going to ask about hing, but I think I figured that out via the Google.)

[Simul Parikh]

This!

[Sundae in the Park]

Great, will have to try, thanks!!! Interesting that you don't use onions.

[Simul Parikh]

Yeah, I used a lot of onions in all the other dishes, so wanted to see if the seasoning and aromatics were enough, and I really think they were. It did feel odd, because in Punjabi cooking you typically have the trinity in every dish - onions, ginger, garlic - in every dish.