Baingan Bharta (Eggplant curry)

[CWS4322]

This is a Punjabi smoked roasted eggplant recipe that I got from a friend. This isn't her recipe, couldn't resist playing with it.

1-2 large eggplant (I used 3)
2 inches ginger root, peeled
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
hot peppers--your choice--I used haberno, red thai, jalapeno
juice of one lime and one lemon
1-2 tsp grated turmeric
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tspb ghee

1. Heat oven to 450.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
3. Toss the veggies and ginger in a bowl with EVOO.
4. Roast veggies for 25-30 minutes.
5. Let veggies cool, peel charred skin off veggies. Grate ginger. Add citrus juice.
6. Put veggies in a bowl, mash with potato masher and set aside. If not "smokey" enough, add 1/8 tsp liquid smoke.
7. Heat a dry CI pan, add coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes until you can "smell" them. Let them cool and grind (I use a coffee mill). Return to pan and add ghee and other spices. Once the ghee is melted and the spices combined, toss over mashed eggplant.
8. Return to pan, add tomatoes, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add methi, simmer another 5 minutes.
9. Turn off heat and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, lemon and lime zest. Serve with basmati rice or pooris.

 

[CWS4322]

Here's a pic. I panfried some paneer and added that. You can't see the poori--it is underneath.

 

[Vanitas]

Yummy! That looks lovely!!! I've been searching for some good eggplant recipes... definitely will have to try it.

 

[CWS4322]

Yummy! That looks lovely!!! I've been searching for some good eggplant recipes... definitely will have to try it.

In the summer, I will smoke the eggplant outside over charcoal, ditto the tomatoes and peppers. The weather was not cooperating, so I had to roast the veggies in the oven and added about 1/4 liquid smoke to the "mash." You can adjust the heat and garlic to your taste. And, the paneer was added because I happened to have some on hand, smoked tofu would work or just omit it. The recipes I researched did not include paneer. And, if you can't get methi, you can use spinach or chard.

 

[Vanitas]

Definitely need the paneer! We have a large Indo-Canadian population in my town and surrounding area... which means many of their tasty food items are readily available in my local grocery store. A Punjabi friend brought over shahi paneer for dinner last year and it blew my mind. I've been hooked on paneer ever since!

Not too sure about the methi though... can't say I've ever seen it around. If not, I'm sure spinach would be good too as you suggested.

 

[CWS4322]

Definitely need the paneer! We have a large Indo-Canadian population in my town and surrounding area... which means many of their tasty food items are readily available in my local grocery store. A Punjabi friend brought over shahi paneer for dinner last year and it blew my mind. I've been hooked on paneer ever since!

Not too sure about the methi though... can't say I've ever seen it around. If not, I'm sure spinach would be good too as you suggested.

I find methi in the frozen food section. I have never seen it fresh...but yes, spinach will work.

 

[taxlady]

I used this recipe to make cottage cheese that was lovely. I'm sure it makes lovely paneer when you weight it according to the instructions. How To Make Paneer Cheese in 30 Minutes - Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn

 

[CWS4322]

TL--That is on the list for the next time the boys come out--we are making paneer, moz., and cottage cheese!

 

[taxlady]

TL--That is on the list for the next time the boys come out--we are making paneer, moz., and cottage cheese!

Have you ever made moz before? Why not ricotta, since you will have the right kind of whey from the moz?

One of these days I will get around to learning to make moz. It sounds easy. BTW, I have discovered that most organic milk is UHT pasteurized and won't work for cheese, quark, etc. However, the fine filtered organic milk isn't UHT pasteurized. It made perfectly nice quark.

 

[CWS4322]

Have you ever made moz before? Why not ricotta, since you will have the right kind of whey from the moz?

One of these days I will get around to learning to make moz. It sounds easy. BTW, I have discovered that most organic milk is UHT pasteurized and won't work for cheese, quark, etc. However, the fine filtered organic milk isn't UHT pasteurized. It made perfectly nice quark.

No--but we picked up some vegetarian rennet on one of our field trips. So cheese making it is!