Mashed Fire Roasted Eggplant Food

BAINGAN BHARTA (EGGPLANT BHARTA)

Steps:

• Rinse eggplants well under running water and wipe dry with a kitchen tissue. Make 4 slits on the brinjal and push 4 garlic cloves deep inside 2 slits. Also push 2 slit green chilies in the other 2 slits. Brush them with oil.
• On Direct Fire: With the help of a tong, place it on direct fire. You can do it either on the red hot coal or stovetop. Keep turning it to all the other sides and grill until it is done completely roasted. It takes about 12 to 14 mins.
• To grill in oven: Line a metal tray with foil. Cut each eggplant to 2 parts and place them on the tray with the skin side on top. You can also place the tomatoes in the same tray. Broil/Grill them at 460 F or 240 C for 16 to 18 mins.
• In air fryer: Place baingan, chilies, garlic and tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 F or 200 C. It takes roughly about 22 mins for the whole eggplant, 16 mins if you halve the eggplant & air fry.
• Once done, check by inserting a fork into the eggplant. It should go in smoothly & easily meaning it is soft and cooked well. (Check step-by-step photos above)
• Cool the eggplant and peel the skin. Optionally - Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and cover it for 5 mins. Once done remove the skin.
• Mash or chop the eggplant, grilled garlic and green chilies. Keep these aside. Chop the tomatoes, onions and raw garlic as well.
• Pour oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add chopped ginger and garlic.
• Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic.
• Then add chopped onions and saute until they turn light golden.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until they become soft. Then add red chili powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell from the tomatoes goes away.
• Then mashed eggplants, garlic and green chilies. (You may want to save half of the green chilies for later after taste testing)
• Mix everything and mash it a bit to blend well. Then add garam masala and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.
• Taste test and add more salt and green chilli. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve baingan bharta with roti, rice or naan.

MASHED EGGPLANT WITH CAPERS, SCALLIONS AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Put the capers in a bowl and rinse off salt thoroughly with lukewarm water. Soak rinsed capers in lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse again, then blot dry. Chop roughly and set aside.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Peel eggplants and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss cubes in a mixing bowl with salt and pepper, then drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet in one layer and roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and tender when pierced with a fork. Cool.
• Put cooked eggplants in a food processor and pulse briefly. Add capers, scallions, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice, pomegranate molasses, yogurt, cayenne and 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend until well combined. Transfer to a bowl. (May be prepared and stored at cool room temperature, covered, up to 2 hours in advance, or refrigerated for up to a week.)
• Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve eggplant spread on toast, sprinkled with scallions and parsley, or as a dip for pita bread.

LOUISIANA MASHED EGGPLANT PATTIES

Steps:

• In a 2 quart saucepan heat water.
• Peel and cube eggplant.
• Drop into boiling water. Cover and cook until tender.
• While eggplant is cooking, mix all ingredients except lemon juice and shortening in a bowl.
• Drain eggplant and mash with fork or beaters.
• Add lemon juice.
• Add eggplant lemon juice mixture to bowl mixture.
• Heat shortening or oil in large frying pan.
• Form 8 patties Fry until brown on both sides.

SHAHI BAINGAN BHARTA (CREAMY ROASTED MASHED EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Prick the eggplant with a fork a few times, lightly oil and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F Roast until they are tender, about 30-40min or until the flesh yields easily to pressure.
• Remove the pulp, peel and mash.
• Heat oil, add onion and cook until golden brown.
• Add garlic, chilis and all the dry spices listed.
• Add tomato and cook, stirring, till tomato gets pulpy, about 10mins.
• Stir in the roasted eggplant pulp, and cook on medium-low heat, about 15min.
• Stir in the cream and garnish with chopped cilantro.

MASHED FIRE-ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• 1. Flame-char or roast the eggplants, then peel and mash, as per INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Roasting and Grilling Vegetables, Eggplant.2. Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan over medium-high heat, add the green chili peppers and onion, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup cilantro and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato juices evaporate, about 5 minutes.3. Mix in the eggplant pulp and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup chopped cilantro during the last 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, dig out the chili peppers and place on top as a garnish (and a warning), and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BAINGAN BHARTA- INDIAN STYLE FIRE ROASTED EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Prick eggplants and roast them over open flame or in a tandoor/preheated oven until the skin scorches and starts peeling off.
• The sure shot way to check if the eggplants are done is to pierce them with the back of a spoon, if it enters the brinjal like soft butter then they are done.
• When at room temperature remove the skin and mash the pulp.
• Chop the onions, tomatoes and green chilli.
• Heat oil(preferably mustard oil) in a kadahi(wok) and add chopped onions. Sauté until they are pink. Do not brown them.Then add chopped ginger, garlic, chopped green chilli and stir.
• After about 1/2 a minute add the tomatoes and the salt(adding salt with the tomatoes softens the tomatoes faster and thus makes cooking easier)When the tomatoes are done(oil seperates from them)add all the powders except for the garam masala powder and cook for another 1/2 a minute.
• Now add the mashed brinjals. After this point not much cooking is required. Cook for about 1/2 to 1 minute and finally add the garam masala and chopped corriander leaves.
• Serve immediately with roti, paraatha, naan, pitta bread, or even on a toast! We love it on a crunchy toast - irresistable, I tell you!

FIRE-ROASTED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Smoke the eggplant.
• This can be done under the broiler, on an open flame or on an outdoor grill.
• First wash the eggplant and dry thoroughly.
• Using a small knife, pierce the skin all over and rub lightly with the 1 tbsp of oil.
• Place the eggplant on an open flame or under the broiler.
• Turn frequently so it blackens evenly on all sides.
• It is ready when soft and collapses on itself when touched (in 20 to 25 minutes.) Remove in a bowl and set aside.
• While the eggplant is cooling, prepare the yogurt.
• In a serving dish, lightly beat the yogurt with a pinch of sugar and salt to taste.
• Then stir in the chopped onion and cilantro and the (optional) green chili.
• When completely cool, skin the eggplant.
• The skin should peel off easily, leaving the wonderful smoky flesh behind.
• Do not discard the juices that have collected in the bowl.
• Add the juices and the skinned eggplant to the yogurt mixture and combine well.
• Do not mash the eggplant; the naturally lumpy texture is desirable.
• Now make the hot oil dressing.
• Place the chili powder or paprika in a small pile on the eggplant-yogurt mix.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet or butter warmer.
• (Keep a spatter-screen or lid handy.) When the oil just begins to smoke, add the mustard seeds, cover immediately and remove from heat.
• The seeds will pop wildly; do not panic!
• When they stop sputtering, uncover and pour this hot oil dressing directly on the chili powder.
• Do not blend the dressing into the yogurt-instead, swirl it in decoratively just before serving.
• Serve cold or at room temperature.