Directions

BAINGAN BHARTA: Punjabi-Style Smoky Eggplant

1. Step 1  Pre heat oven to 450 or prepare your grill
2. Step 2  Wash and dry eggplants; slit the eggplants in a couple of places and stuff in a garlic clove a bit deep so they don’t burn; for small eggplants do one clove split in half and 3 for large eggplants; wrap each eggplant individually in foil
3. Step 3  Bake about 1 hour or grill on open flame until skin breaks and is very easy to remove; when cool, scoop out eggplant and garlic cloves in a bowl and set aside
4. Step 4  Place a pot on medium-high heat.  When  hot, add oil.  When oil is hot, add onions and cook until golden-dark brown, taking care not to burn. A lot of flavor comes from the onion being well-browed.
5. Step 5  Add tomato and fry a few minutes until the oil starts to separate and the tomato has broken apart,  is dark red and soft.
6. Step 6  Add salt followed by the full packet of Moji Masala Baingan Masala. Blend until well incorporated and bring to gentle boil so spices open up and are well integrated; the canned tomato should provide a good amount of liquid but if it has evaporated, add splashes of water as needed, to keep pan moist
7. Step 6  Add cooked eggplant and sautee a few minutes to allow masala to aborb into the eggplant; add splashes of water as needed
8. Step 7  Add the chilis and blend until well incorporated. Add a little water if needed. Turn heat  to low and cook with lid on for about 5 minutes.
9. Step 8  Off-heat, mix in lemon juice and garnish with a good handful of cilantro
10. Step 9  (optional) For a more cooling flavor or to turn into a dip, blend in the yogurt

TZOK VANGUN: Kashmiri-Style Tangy Eggplant

1. Step 1  Pre heat oven to 450 or prepare your grill
2. Step 2  Bake the quartered eggplants skin-side down for half an hour and then skin-side up for 10 minutes.  The eggplant should be soft and wrinkled.
3. Step 3  Place a pot on medium-high heat.  When  hot, add oil.  When oil is hot, add onions and cook until golden-dark brown, taking care not to burn. A lot of flavor comes from the onion being well-browed.
4. Step 4  Reduce heat to medium.  Add the garlic and saute briefly untli fragrant.
5. Step 5  Add a large splash of water.  Add salt followed by the full packet of Moji Masala Baingan Masala.  Saute for a minute allowing the spices to open up.
6. Step 6  Add 1/2 cup of water and stir well.  Add in the tamarind concentrate or vinegar and stir well again
7. Step 7    Lay the the baked eggplant strips in the masala paste skin-side up.  Stir gently until well coated.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
8. Step 8  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and the masala paste has absorbed well into the egplant.