Baingan bhartha - Punjabi eggplant sabzi

A real lip smacking dish that goes well with parathas. I used to try this recipe with small brinjals but my humble advice is that please don't cook with small brinjals as it is very difficult to peel its skin. Always cook this recipe with large purple egg plants. This is because baingan bhartha recipe involves an initial work of removing the eggplants skin either by grilling the eggplant or microwaving the eggplant till the outer skin becomes loosened so that the skin can be easily removed and the fleshy part of the vegetable becomes more soft and easy to mash. eggplants can otherwise be directly cooked in the direct flame of the stove to remove the skin. if you are using microwave, try to make a slit in the eggplant before placing it in the microwave as the large eggplants would burst open messing up your oven.

Ingredients

• Large egg plant 1 no (2oog) (grilled, peeled and mashed)
• chopped green bell pepper 1cup
• boiled green peas 1/2 a cup
• chopped onions 1 medium size
• chopped tomatoes 2 medium size
• green chillies 2
• cumin seeds 1tsp
• asafoetida a pinch
• turmeric powder 1tsp
• garam masala 1tbsp
• coriander powder 2tbsp
• red chilli powder 1tbsp
• ginger garlic paste 1tbsp
• coriander leaves few
• salt to taste
• canola oil 2tbsp

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai and throw in cumin seeds and asafoetida. saute onions, green chillies and ginger garlic paste in it.
• add chopped tomatoes and fry well till the tomatoes leave oil from the sides. Add chopped bell pepper to it.
• Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander and red chilli powder and fry well. Add salt to taste.
• Mix in the boiled green peas along with mashed eggplant. fry well. add 1/2 a cup 0f water and wait till all the water quantity is reduced. cook for about 5-6 minutes.
• switch off the stove and garnish it with coriander leaves and serve :)