Baigan Choka Roasted Eggplant Aubergine Recipes

BAIGAN CHOKA (ROASTED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Wash eggplant and make slits in it with a knife.
• Peel garlic cloves and stick into the slits made in the eggplant.
• Insert tomato wedges into the slits.
• Rub the eggplant with a teaspoon of oil.
• Roast over an open flame (for example, a gas cooker) until soft. Do not grill because the taste will not be the same. The open flame imparts a smokey flavour which gives this dish it's signature flavour.
• To make roasting more manageable. I usually cut the eggplant in half making sure that the garlic is wedged deep inside so that it doesn't fall out. I use a long cooking fork to turn the melongene and make sure it roasts evenly on all sides.
• When eggplant is soft, slit the charred skin lengthways with a knife and scrape out the soft somewhat stringy pulp. Discard skin.
• Mash the pulp, tomato,and roasted garlic in a bowl with a fork or pop it into your blender if you want a nice smooth texture.
• Add 1 tsp oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook 1/4 cup onion until fragrant but not translucent. (You want them to still have some crunch to them but not quite the sharp raw onion taste.) This is a personal preference some people prefer the raw onions.
• Add the barely cooked finely chopped onion, salt to taste, and scotch bonnet pepper to the eggplant pulp.
• Typically enjoyed as a side with curried meats and rice or in Sada Roti (Indian flatbread ).

BAIGAN CHOKHA

Steps:

• Prepare a hot grill or preheat the broiler.
• With a fork, pierce the eggplants all over, and place on the grill or under the broiler. Grill or broil until completely charred and soft, about 20 minutes, turning frequently (the eggplants will brown and blister quickly). Remove and allow to cool.
• Once cool, cut open the eggplants and scrape out the flesh. The flesh should be soft to the touch and pulpy, and should easily come away from the skin. Set aside.
• Heat the canola oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and fry until the garlic turns a dark golden brown, then add the tomato and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the mashed eggplant and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with roti.

BAIGAN CHOKA (ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP)

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 190C/400F or gas mark 5 and line a baking tray with parchment paper
• Make some small vertical slits about 4cm long all over the entire aubergine, be careful not to slice too deep.
• Place 2 garlic slices in each eggplant
• Rub the eggplants and scotch bonnet with 1tbsp of oil before placing on a lined baking tray and transfer to the oven.
• Roast the scotch bonnet until darkened for the first 4-5 minutes then remove, continue to roast the eggplant until it looks limp and thin in size (should take 25 minutes).
• In the mean time, prepare the onions, scotch bonnet in a bowl.
• Once the eggplants have been removed from the oven, allow to cool before slicing length ways Scoop out the flesh into the bowl with the scotch bonnet and some of the onions, pink salt and black pepper
• Mash them all other together until smooth.
• Do the chongkay method by heating up the olive oil in a miniature sized pan with the garlic and onion until golden brown, proceed to pour the hot oil over the pureed mix

HOPVINE'S MARINATED ROASTED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Remove the peel of the eggplant. (If using Japanese eggplant, it's not necessary to remove the peel.).
• Slice the peeled eggplant thinly, about 1/8 inch thick, then make into smaller pieces (about 1"x2" strips).
• Combine remaining ingredients in a plastic airtight container.
• Add the eggplant pieces, cover, and shake well to coat.
• Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place eggplant pieces on a non-stick baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes, then carefully turn them and roast another 7 minutes until tender.
• Keep the eggplant pieces refrigerated in an airtight container until you use them; they'll keep for up to 3 or 4 days.
• You can use the eggplant in various ways: put them in sandwiches, or (as I do) put the marinated eggplant pieces on your pizza along with the other veggies!
• Note: this marinade is also good for other roasted vegetables like asparagus; you can also grill the eggplant slices instead of roasting and use them as an appetizer (I use my Foreman grill), to make appetizers with them I usually use unpeeled Asian eggplant instead of the regular kind and slice them diagonally about 1/4-inch thick before grilling.