Baingan Bartha

I discovered an amazing Indian dish recently called baingan bartha. It's composed of mostly eggplant, as well as red pepper and lots of the usual spices. This recipe, which is also from Manjula's Kitchen, is very similar to the version I tried at the restaurant. I've modified it to my taste, which involves adding onions and using more ginger than originally called for.

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant (should be big and fat)
• 2 medium size tomatoes
• 1/2 cup green chopped red bell pepper
  
• 1 green chili
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger
• 3 tablespoons oil
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro to garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the whole eggplant (put it on a microwave safe dish) in microwave for 8 to 10 minutes until it is tender. (If you are using an oven, preheat the oven at 400 degrees and bake it for about 45 minutes turning the sides every fifteen minutes. Be sure to first put the eggplant in an oven safe shallow bowl or a cookie sheet.)
2. Let it cool and peel off the skin then chop the eggplant in small pieces and keep aside.
3. Blend the tomatoes, ginger and green chili.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-low and saute the onions till very soft. Add the bell pepper.
   
5. Heat the mixture a little more. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away it is ready. Add asafetida and cumin seed.
6. Add tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chili, and salt and let it cook for a few minutes until tomato puree has started leaving the oil.
7. Add eggplant let it cook on medium heat keep stirring the eggplant and mashing the eggplant as it cooks. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add fresh cilantro and garam masala to the eggplant and mix it gently.
9. Serve hot with rotis, parathas, or naan.
   

Serves 2-4. Eat away.