Baingan Bartha (Roasted aubergine curry)

Baingan Bartha-Roasted aubergine cooked with onions, garlic and a medley of spices. A delicious smoky taste makes this aubergine curry delicious to savour.

Ingredients:

1 large aubergine
1 medium onion finely diced
2 medium tomatoes finely diced and blended.
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander for garnish.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Method:

1.Wash and prick the aubergines with a fork. Rub the aubergines with a little oil.
2. Place the aubergines on a tray and place the tray in a hot oven for 25-30 mins (200 degrees C) or until the aubergines are soft and charred, you may require to turn them half way to get an even cook. (Alternatively the aubergines can be cooked on a barbecue)
3. Remove aubergines from oven and peel the skin off and discard, finely chop up the flesh. Keep aside.
4. In a pan heat the oil, next add the mustard seeds.
5. Add the onions and garlic and cook till onions are translucent.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder and coriander powder. Mix well.Cook for 2-3 minutes , then add the passatta and 50 ml water.
7.Cook the mixture until the tomatoes have softened and oil starts to separate  it takes approx 5 mins
8.Add the roasted aubergine and and mix well into the sauce. Add another 50 ml  water . Cover and cook for 5 more minutes until the spices have infused into the  aubergines.
10.Transfer to serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander .

Serve with Rotlas or hot rotis and khichdi and kadhi.

You may like:

Masala stuffed baby aubergines.

Gujarati Ondhwo.(Savory lentil cake)

Ondhwo- A typical gujarati savory cake made with chana dhal and rice flours. Healthy and nutritious as its baked with a selection of vegetables and spices .This savory cake is perfect for tiffin, picnics and teatime snacks.

Ingredients:

400 grams handwo flour (alternatively you can use 200 grams chana dhal and 200 grams rice, mix and grind together to make flour)
1 medium lokhi (dudhi bottle gourd )grated or 3 courgettes grated
1 large onion finely diced
4 -6 green chillies minced finely
1 tablespoon ginger paste
200 grams sour curd
1.5 cups water
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 red dried chilli
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons eno salts.
1 teaspoon chilli powder

Method:

1.Mix ondhwo flour with curds and 1 and 1/2 cups water to make a thickish batter .Cover and keep in warm place over night.
2. Next day add ginger paste, chillies, salt, chilli powder,turmeric and mix .
3.Oil a cake tin or deep sided baking try and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds and red dried chilli.
5. Add the onions and fry the onion till they are translucent and soft .
6. Add the cooked onion to the ondhwo mixture and mix. Next add the grated lokhi/courgettes and mix. Batter consistency should be dropping if needed adjust by adding little more water .

7. Add the eno salts, mix throughly . Pour the batter into the oiled baking trays approximately one inch thick.
8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. Bake in a preheated oven 180 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
10.To test if ondhwo is ready inset a skewer in center of ondhwo, if it comes out clean ondhwo is ready .
11.The top of the ondhwo should be well done and dark brown and crispy. Remove from oven and cool.
12 Cut to desired size squares and serve hot.(Can be eaten cold also)

NB: Any vegetable can be added such as grated potato, grated potatoes, grated marrow, grated courgettes, grated locki or a combination of all.

You may like:

Instant semolina dhokla.

Saffron~Cardamom icecream.

Saffron~ cardamom ice cream- Beautifully rich and creamy ice cream with aromatic flavours of the East. Saffron and cardamom and almonds make this ice cream a perfect dessert to follow a wonderful Indian meal.

Ingredients:

I litre milk full fat milk
8 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of saffron
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 tablespoon almond slivers

For Garnish and serving:

1 teaspoon almond slivers for garnish
1 teaspoon chopped pistachio nuts for garnish
Few nankhatai (cardamom biscuits)



Method:

1. In a heavy bottom pan pour the milk and bring to boil. Add the saffron.
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer milk gently until it reduces to half the quantity. (Patience is important, this can take up to 45 minutes to an hour)
3. Keep stirring the simmering milk at intervals to prevent it burning.
4. Once milk has reduced stir in the sugar and allow it to dissolve completely. There may be milk solids formed in the milk, stir them in, this adds creaminess to the ice cream.
5. Once sugar has dissolved add the cardamom powder and 1 tablespoon of almond slivers.
6. Pour the mixture into a Tupperware container and place in freezer. After three hours break up the ice crystals with a fork and mix the ice cream. Leave to freeze for another three hours .Repeat this procedure again. (In total three times. This step is not necessary if you use ice cream maker.)
7. To serve ice cream remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving. Scoop into serving dishes.
8. Garnish with almond slivers and pistachio nuts and serve with nankhatai –cardamom biscuits

Nankhatai (Eggless Indianised cookies)

Nankhatai-These crunchy delectable cookies are truely packed with flavours of the East, delicately flavoured with cardamom and garnished with almonds they are truely a Royal cookie that simply melts in the mouth.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter (room temperature)
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons warm milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour (maida)
1/3 cup besan (chickpea flour)
1/3 cup semolina (fine)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
24 almond halves for garnish



Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees centigrade
2. Sieve the all purpose flour, besan, salt, cardamom powder and baking powder in a bowl. Stir in the semolina and keep aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar and add the warm milk, beat the mixture till its soft and creamy.
4. Fold in the dry in ingredients and make a dough.It will be very soft don't worry it will harden once it rests.
5. Cover and place the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes divide dough into 24 small balls.
7. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with grease proof paper.
8. Using the flat bottom of a glass press the balls to form round cookies approx 5mm thick.
(I used a small piece of grease proof paper in between glass and cookie dough to stop glass sticking to cookie.)
9. Top each cookie with a almond half, push it in slightly so that it does not fall off after baking.
10. I returned the cookie trays to the fridge for chilling for another 15 minutes before baking. (This helps to retain shape of cookie whilst baking)
11. After 15 minutes, I baked the cookies at preheated oven for 15 minutes till they were golden brown.



12. Remove from oven and cool.
Enjoy with a cup of tea. (I served my cookies with saffron ~cardamom icecream recipe to follow)


You may like:
Eggless almond ~ vanilla cookies.

Five mixed bean curry.

Five mixed bean curry- A protein packed healthy and delicious curry made with an assortment of beans, cooked in a thick gravy. Beautifully spiced with an array of spices and a hint of garlic this dish is a perfect accompaniment to rice and rotis.

Ingredients:

100 grams precooked cannelloni beans
100 grams precooked flageolet beans
100 grams precooked adzuki beans
100 grams precooked white chickpeas
100 grams precooked red kidney beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes deseeded and blended.
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander for garnish
200ml water




Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, when hot add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter.
2. Add the garlic and sauté. (Take care not to burn it)
3. Add blended tomatoes and tomato puree and sauté further.
4. Add the salt, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric and cook till spices blend in with tomatoes.
5. Add the precooked beans and water and simmer for 10 minutes till gravy thickens.
6. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve with hot rotis and rice.



NB-I used tinned precooked beans but you can soak dry beans over night and pressure cook them for recipe. Mixture of beans is personal preference.

You may like:
Broad bean curry.

Submitting to:
The well seasoned cook-MLLA 23