Baingan Bharta

Here's my recipe for Baingan Bharta... I came up with it by accidentally using 1 eggplant instead of two in a recipe from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking and realizing that it would have been too mild if I had used 2 eggplants. I also added Kitchen King masala and a teaspoon of sugar, which balanced out the bitterness. A lot of recipes I come across use coriander and cumin powder separately, but I like to make combo coriander/cumin powder at home, grind it myself and use that instead of using the powders separately. I also avoided separating the onions in two batches and frying one in oil... I just added the whole onion to the eggplant and fried it together.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, about one pound
• 3 teaspoons coriander/cumin powder (I like to make my own, It's much better!)
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (I pureed 2 roma tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

Method:

Heat coals or broiler for direct heat. Pierce eggplant with fork a few times to vent steam. Grill
15 - 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until skin is blistered.

Place eggplant in a large bowl and cover. Let stand 30 minutes. Peel and discard eggplant skin. Mash until smooth.

Stir in coriander/cumin powder, salt, cayenne, turmeric, onion, tomato sauce, sugar, kitchen king masala, lime juice, gingerroot, garlic, and cilantro.

Heat ghee in large skillet over medium-high heat and sizzle cumin seed until darkened. Add eggplant mixture and fry 15 - 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in garam masala, remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

~ "No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how" - Rhett Butler (Gone With The Wind) ~