Beingan Bharta--indian Eggplant

Recipe Ingredients

1 tablespoon	15ml	Eggplant (large)
1		Green chili pepper - thinly sliced
1		Asafoetida - optional
1 teaspoon	5ml	Mustard seeds
2 teaspoons	10ml	Salt
1 teaspoon	5ml	Onion - chopped (medium)
		Fresh cilantro - ("a healthy amount"), chopped
		Vegetable oil - for frying

Recipe Instructions

The eggplant should be grilled first to give the dish a nice smokey flavor. You can do this either by putting the whole eggplant on an outdoor grill and turning a couple of times, or you can grill it on a gas range. First remove the stems and leaves so they won't burn. Put down some tin foil in the well of the burner to catch the juice which will come out. Place the metal burner on top and grill the eggplant directly on it. The outside of the eggplant will burn as the inside cooks, turn it frequently. Once cooked, let it cool until you can comfortably handle it. Peel the skin off--this should be easy because it is burnt, but if a little bit of skin sticks, that's fine.

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan or wok. Don't let it get too hot, though--because you want the heat on low as you add the mustard seeds. Let the seeds pop gently in the oil, then add the onion. Fry until translucent. Add the eggplant, asafetida, green chili, and salt. Fry for 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro about a minute before serving. Enjoy with flat bread (naan or chapatis) or plain old pita.

Source:
"Sampling The Cuisine of India" by Sambhu Banik

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