Indian Vegetarian Cooking
From An American Kitchen
Roasted Eggplant in Tomato Sauce (Baigan Bharta):
Eggplant is oven roasted, then peeled, pureed, and mixed with spices and tomato sauce. Serve this dish with any Indian bread such as chapatis, pooris, or whole wheat pita.
PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes COOKING TIME: 45 minutes SERVES: 4
2 large eggplants or 8 small Italian eggplants
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup fresh peas, cooked, or 1 (10 oz.) package frozen peas, thawed and cooked
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped for 1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 green chilies or jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 Tbsp. half-
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prick each eggplant with a fork in two or three places. On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, arrange the eggplants. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the eggplants are tender and the skin begins to char. Let cool. Carefully peel away and discard the skin. Chop the pulp coarsely and set aside.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté
for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and green chilies, and cook for 2 more minutes, until
the onions are golden. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt, peas, and tomatoes, and
simmer over medium-
4. You can prepare this dish 2 days in advance. Refrigerate, then reheat before serving.
Per Serving
205 calories; 3g protein; 27g carbohydrates; 9g fat, 172mg sodium; 7.5mg cholesterol; 5g fiber