Baingan Bertha

Even though  this is not a South Indian Dish,  I do prepare this as a sidedish for Chapathis.   So  the recipe may not be authentic to its origin.  But my kids love this,  the way I prepare and hence the recipe.

Ingredients:

1. One or Two big Egg Plant./ Baingan/Katharikkai.  (The variety available in US in Super Markets and in South India people buy this to make Thuvayal.)
2. Onions 2 medium sized
3. Tomatoes 3 medium sized.
4. Green chillies 1 or 2
5. Ginger  a small bit.
6. Oil 1 Table Spoon.
7. Red Chilli Powder   1 to 1 and half T spoons.
8. Turmeric Powder (Haldi Powder) little 
9. Salt to taste
10. Jeera 1/2 T spoon.
11. Coriander leaves  to Garnish

 Method:

Wash the Egg Plant and smear it with little oil.  Keep the whole egg plant on the burning stove.  Keep it on a wire mesh if you have one otherwise you can keep it directly on the fire.  Let the burner  be in medium position.  Keep turning the Egg plant so that all sides are burnt properly with  the help of  the reverse side of a steel ladle or  steel dosa  turner  which can act as a sharp stick to hold the vegetable when you turn .   (Prick the Eggplant and hold it and turn).

Olden days this was done in 'koyla' Coal stoves.

  If you do not have a gas stove you can use the Oven and the Egg plant can be grilled in the grill  but a proper aluminium foil has to be used so as  the juices of the vegetable  falls into the foil while it is being grilled.   I am not sure of the temperature but once or twice it did happen that the smoke detector alarm went off due to this grilling.  So do this if you have experience of grilling any other dish.

I have used Micro Wave oven also to do this Baingan Bertha  and it did come out quite well .  I cut the   Egg Plant  and put it in a Corning Ware dish and kept it for 12 minutes turning after every 4 minutes.  You can take out and check if the Eggplant is well cooked , if not  you can keep it for little more time.

Put the burnt Egg Plant in a container containing cold water.  Throw the water out once it is cool.  Remove the burnt skin ( cut the crown as you would have burnt the egg plant with the crown in tact )  and smash the eggplant nicely with a spoon,  adding little salt and turmeric powder.  Keep aside.

Cut Onions  into very small pieces. Cut Tomatoes into small bits.  Cut the green chillies and ginger .

Take the 'kadai' or a thick bottom vessel and pour the oil.  Put the jeera into it and once it splutters,  (it will not splutter like mustard seeds,  and  gets done faster) add the  green chillies, ginger and onion.  Keep turning till onion turns light brown and  add the cut tomatoes. add little turmeric powder, salt and Chilli powder. Once the tomatoes turn soft add the Egg plant which has been done and kept aside.  Add little water and keep it covered.  Cook this mixture for about  10 to 15 minutes till the Egg plant nicely cooked and mixed with onion and tomatoes.  Garnish with nicely cut coriander leaves and serve with hot chapathis or puris.