Mixed Pumpkin Squash And Eggplant With Bengali 5 Spices Food

SIMPLE PAN-COOKED GHERKINS

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds they should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and lower the heat until the spluttering subsides.2. Add the red chili peppers, gherkins, and salt, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the juices completely evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BENGALI-SPICED SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
• Cut the kabocha or butternut squashes into long wedges (I sliced the upper part of the butternut squash and halved the slices) and remove the peel, seeds and fibres from each piece.
• Heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion wedges, garlic, chilli and ginger to the pan and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onions are just tender.
• Add the spices and cook for a few seconds more.
• Add the pieces of butternut squash and toss everything together until well coated in the spicy mixture.
• Put the squash into a roasting tin and roast it for 35-40 minutes, or until the squash is tender and lightly browned around the edges.
• This is delicious served together with roasted chicken and mint raita, made from chopped fresh mint into natural yogurt.

EGGPLANT AND SQUASH ALLA PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Trim the stems from the eggplant and squash. Slice the vegetables lengthwise, no more than 1/4-inch thick. Spread the slices on one or more cooling racks, dust with salt on both sides and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on low until translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, pepper and bay leaf and cook, breaking up the tomatoes, a few minutes. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes more. Remove bay leaf and check seasoning.
• Rinse eggplant and squash slices and pat them dry. Dredge lightly with flour. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Fry the eggplant and squash until lightly browned, in several shifts, placing fried slices on paper towel to drain.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 10-inch glass pie plate with oil. Spread a very thin layer of the tomato sauce in the pie plate. Add a layer of the eggplant, cutting slices to fit if necessary. Try to arrange them like spokes of a wheel. Spread a little more sauce over them, then the squash slices, then the mozzarella and another layer of eggplant. Finish with the remaining sauce, the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the parsley.
• Bake about 30 minutes, until bubbling and lightly browned on top. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

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.