Bihari Baigan Bharta

Courtesy Anjana Kumar aka Ma

Serves four

Ingredients

• 1 large sized Indian Eggplant
• 1 table spoon mustard oil
• 3 green chili chopped finely
• 2 table spoons finely chopped ginger
• 2 table spoons finely chopped garlic
• 3 table spoons finely chopped coriander
• 1 table spoon lemon juice
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• Small onion chopped finely

How to :

1. Roast the eggplant on fire till the skin starts to turn charred.
2. Remove the skin completely from the eggplant and discard
3. Make a lumpy mash of the eggplant.
4. Add the oil, salt, pepper, chili, ginger, garlic, onion, coriander and lemon juice and mix well.

Serving suggestion

• Serve with Khichdi

Mixed Vegetable Masala

Serves four

Ingredients

• Mix Vegetables : Cauliflower, Potato, Beans, Carrots, Capsicum, Mushroom, Peas - chopped to medium sized pieces
• Wet Ground Masala 

• One large Onion
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 inch ginger piece
• 10 cloves garlic

• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 4 tablespoon Oil
• Dried Fenugreek leaves

How to :

1. Puree all contents under Wet Ground Masala in a blender. 
2. In a frying pan put two table spoon oil and heat. 
3. Saute all the vegetables for 5 minutes. 
4. In a non stick pan put 2 table spoon oil and heat.
5. Pour the pureed contents into the hot oil and saute for 20 minutes or more on medium flame, stirring frequently till the oil starts to separate out in the pan. 
6. Add the salt, turmeric and chili powder and cook for 10 more minutes. Sprinkle water when needed to make sure that the spices don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
   
7. Add the dried fenugreek, sauteed vegetables and 500 ml water to the pan. 
8. Boil for 10 minutes till the gravy thickens.
   

Serving Suggestion
 

Best eaten with Roti or Parathas

Malai Kofta

Ingredients

For Koftas

• Paneer - 250 gms
• 4 medium sized potatoes - boiled
• 2 table spoon cornflour
• Broken cashew pieces
  
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper 1/4 tsp
• Oil to deep fry

For Gravy

• 3 medium sized onions - boiled and pureed 
• 4 tablespoon ginger/garlic paste
• 4 cups tomato puree
• 2 tablespoom Kasuri Methi
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric - half tsp
• Corrander pwdr - 1 tsp
• Cumin pwdr - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli pwdr - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Oil to cook - 2 tbsps
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Method

Kofta : 

1. Grate the paneer finely and mash it together with the boiled potatoes. 
2. Add the cornflour and make a smooth mix with no lumps.
3. Add the salt and pepper to and mix the dough
4. Make small balls of this dough and put a small piece of cashew in the center.
5. Deep fry these paneer balls till golden brown.

Gravy : 

1. In a  non-stick deep pan put 2 tablespoons of oil and heat
2. Pour the pureed onion and cook on medium flame till the moisture is gone and starts to turn light brown
3. Add the ground ginger-garlic and fry for another 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the tomato puree and fry for 10 more minutes stirring occasionally
5. Now add the all the powdered spices and Kasuri Methi and fry for 5 more minutes.
6. Add 2 cups of water and boil for 15 minutes
7. Stir in the cream and cook for 5 more minutes on a medium flame.
8. Drop the koftas when u r ready to serve.

Baigan (Eggplant) Chakka

Courtesy Anjana Kumar (aka Mommy)


Serves four

Ingredients

• 2  Chinese Eggplants
  
• Spice mix
  
• 2 table spoons ginger garlic paste
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
  
• 1 tsp red chili powder
  
• 1 tsp cumin powder 
• 1 tsp coriander powder 
• 1 tsp Aamchur powder or 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• 1 tsp asafoetida powder
  
• 2 tablespoons oil
  

How to :

1. Mix all contents under Spice mix in a bowl and add 2 tablespoon  water to make a thick paste. 
2. Cut the eggplants into 1-2 inches thick circular wheels 
3. Fork the eggplant slices or poke with tooth pick.
   
4. Drizzle oil generously in a non-stick shallow pan and heat.
   
5. Dip the eggplant slices in the spice mix and coat on both sides. 
6. Place the slices on the heated pan surface in a single layer with enough space to ease flipping. If all the slices do not fit on the pan, cook in batches.
   
Cover the pan and cook on reduced flame for 10 minutes till one side is reddish brown. 
8. Drizzle oil on top of eggplant slices before flipping over.
9. Repeat step 7. Before removing the eggplants from the pan you can cook uncovered to remove excess water if any.

Tip:


You can cut thick slices of onions, potatoes or green peppers and dip in any leftover spice mix and saute in the same pan to serve with the eggplants.


Serving Suggestion
 

• Best eaten with Roti or Parathas