Baingan Bhartha - Eggplant gravy

This is a very popular dish in Punjab usually served with roti. Its cooked with mashed eggplant and spicy tomato gravy.

This recipe will serve 2 to 3.

Ingredients:

• 1 Eggplant (if american eggplant take 1 / Indian eggplant can take some 5))
• 2 medium size tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green / red bell pepper (capsicum)
• 1 green chili
• 1/4 inch piece of ginger
• 3 tablespoons oil
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  
• 1 teaspoon sat (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro to garnish
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Cook the whole eggplant in microwave for 8 to 10 minutes until it is tender.
2. If you are using cooktop see to that its cooked completely.
3. If you are cooking it in electric oven preheat it to 400 degree F and then bake it for 40 min turning it now and then. So that it gets cooked on all sides.
   
4. Let it cool and peel off the skin then chop the eggplant in small pieces and keep aside.
5. Blend the tomatoes, ginger and green chili in blender.
6. Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium high and fry the bell pepper for about a minute until it gets tender. Take out the bell pepper from pan and keep aside.
7. Use the same saucepan with remaining oil heat the oil little more. Add asafetida and cumin seed when the oil is ready.
8. After cumin seeds crack, add tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt and let it cook for a few minutes until tomato puree has started leaving the oil.
9. Add eggplant let it cook on medium heat keep stirring the eggplant and mashing the eggplant as it cooks.
10. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
11. Add bell pepper, fresh cilantro, and garam masala( those who dont like garam masala flavour can add them before and also cook them instead of adding it now) to the eggplant and mix it gently.
12. Bharta is ready to serve hot with Chapathi, Paratha etc.

Dish Name Starts with: B posted by Akila .