Roasted Aubergines
My husband is not very fond of vegetables. He had never eaten aubergines un till I tried this recipe with roasted aubergines. So I guess this recipe is a must for immature palates!
Ingredients
Large Aubergines - 3
Large Onions - 3 (coarsely chopped)
Large Vine Tomatoes - 3 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (finely chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil 2 - tbsp
Salt - 3 tspns or to taste
Chilli Powder - to taste
Fresh Coriander Leaves - One handful (finely chopped)
A wok to cook
Method
Pierce aubergines with a knife (piercing avoids bursting of aubergines in the oven).
Bake them in the oven at 180 degree celsius/350 Fahrenheit/gas mark 4 for one and half to two hours while turning them around every half an hour (The skin should be crisp with soft pulp in the middle).
Remove aubergines from the oven. Slit along the length and scoop all the pulp. Keep it aside. Do not worry if fine particles of roasted skin is in the pulp as it give a unique barbecue flavour to the final dish.
Heat oil in the wok and add cumin seeds. Add ginger when you can smell the aroma from cumin seeds or when cumin seeds turn light brown (10 seconds). Stir fry ginger for 10 seconds and add chopped onions. Stir fry onions till they are light brown in colour. Add chopped tomatoes along with salt and chilli powder. Cook on slow heat till tomatoes are cooked well and start leaving oil on the sides of wok.
Add aubergine pulp and cook for 10 minutes until all juices from pulp dry. Switch off the heat and garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with nan bread, chapati or parathas.
Golden Tips for Beginners
Do not overcook onions. They should be light brown and crunchy. Onions cooked to light brown stage give sweet taste compared to bitter taste of dark brown stage.
