Baigan Bharta ( Roasted Egg plant and potato mash) - Spicy!!

Eggplant / Aubergine is one of my favourite vegetables. I know many of you will raise and eyebrow but how can you not love this beautiful purple balloon. Cook the aubergine like I explain below and I promise you -will fall in love with it. Smoky, tangy, spicy and absolutely delicious served with rice, or as a dip with some corn chips or as a filling in a pita bread.

2 medium size aubergine

1 large onion finely chopped

4-5 boiled potatoes - mashed

1 large tomatoes chopped

4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

big chunk of ginger finely chopped

1 green chilli split in half

lots of freshly chopped coriander

2 table spoon of oil

1 tsp of cumin seeds

salt and pepper

2tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of garam masala

1 tsp of chilli powder

1 tsp of mango powder  ( it is also called amchur )

Freshly squeezed juice from a lime

1 tsp of tamarind paste - not essential but does bring out the flavour

 

Method:

 

Cut the aubergines into halves and roast in a hot over for 40-45 mins after smothering it with oil and some salt.

Once the aubergine is ready peel away the black smoked skin and scoop out the cooked flesh, use some of the charred skin as it adds a nice smoky flavour.

In a large pan, put the oil add the cumin seeds followed by the green chillies, ginger , onion and garlic. Saute until brown and add in all the spices and cook for 10 mis or so.

Now add the tomatoes and cook the masala for 10-15 minutes until the oil starts appearing at the sides of the pan ( it is important that you be patient for the macula to be ready as this is what gives this dish its smoky spicy flavour.

 

Once the masala is cooked add the boiled potatoes and the cooked flesh from the roasted aubergine and mash it all up together mixing rigorously disintegrating everything into a pulp like consistency. now add the tamarind paste and the lemon juice. Mix it all up and garnish it with lots of freshly chopped corriander.