Heena's Kitchen Diaries: Spiced Masala Eggplant

Baingan Bharta OR fondly called Ringan no olo in Gujarati. Come winter months, Ringan no olo is widely made and eaten with garma garam jowar or bajri rotlo or wheat bhakri with a dollop of ghee with gur / jaggery, raw onion and chilled chaas. Well this is one of the traditional Kathiyawadi bhojan / meal during the winter's.

Yes, Kathiyawadi's relish it to the core. Baingan Bharta has a couple of variants, traditionally the eggplant is roasted over hot charcoal to get the smokey flavor - The best Baingan Bharta should bear a smokey flavor. Here I am making bharta with the easy quick fix oven roasting method so let's get cooking.

I had my smoke alarm go on many a times while roasting eggplant over the gas flame. Opening the windows and doors served a lit bit of purpose of neighbor's knowing that today's menu is baingan bharta... ahhhhhaaa. But seriously in Chicago the only option is make it in the oven when indoors OR wait till the summer's and start grilling outside.

INGREDIENTS

1 big eggplant

oil

ghee

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

pinch of asefotadia

1 tsp ginger and green chili paste

5 garlic pods OR fresh green garlic

2 tomato

10 -12 green onions

turmeric powder

red chilli powder

cumin coriender powder

garam masala ( optional )

salt

PROCEDURE

1) Before proceeding preheat oven to the highest temperature of your oven 500 degree celcius. Wash eggplant thoroughly, wipe clean. Apply oil generously all over the eggplant. Slit /cut eggplant into half OR poke holes with a knife all over the eggplant. Take aluminium foil and wrap the entire eggplant, once the oven is heated to the said temperature place the foil covered eggplant on the oven safe tray and let it roast for an hour. After an hour remove the tray and scrap the foil, mash the eggplant. Do not discard the the juice around the eggplant, use that too. I mash the eggplant along with its skin on.

2) Preserve the root part of the green onions to regrow them. Will have a detailed post soon of how to regrow green onions from store bought ones.

3) Finely chop all other ingredients and keep ready.
I personally like to put in loads of garlic as baingan bharta can never go wrong with loads full of it if you like it that way.

4) Heat ghee in a wok, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder and garlic saute well and add the white part of green onions. leave the greens to add later which departs a fresh crunch.

5) Add in tomatoes once all the ingredients are sauted properly. Mix well. Let the tomatoes be cooked properly till mushy.

6) Cover and cook if required for faster results. The tomatoes will cook fast in its own steam.

7) Add the dry masalas once the tomatoes are done.

8) Add in the mashed eggplant and mix well. Let it cook for some more time till done.

9) Remove from flame and add in the remaining green onions at this point once it's done.

Plating accompaniments

Baingan Bharta OR Ringan no olo is ready.
Serve warm and relish it with garma garam jowar or bajri rotlo or wheat bhakri with a dollop or ghee with gur / jaggery, raw onion and chilled chaas.