Aubergine Mash - Free From Onions, Garlic and Tomatoes
Baingan Bhurta - Bina Pyaz, Tamatar aur Lahsun Ke
Aubergine or baingan, as they are known in India, can be served simply, without need for lots of other ingredients. Here is a simple recipe, made without onions and tomatoes. Serve it with slices of nan or pita bread or thin toasts.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2-3 large aubergines/brinjals/eggplants
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves (experiment with other fresh herbs like mint, oregano, dill etc.)
- 1-2 green chillies, top and tailed, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt to taste
- A good sprinkle of freshly ground, coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Make a couple of slits in each aubergine. This stops them from bursting.
- Roast each on a direct flame, turning frequently. You can get a ‘roasting plate’ to make cooking on flame easier. They can also be cooked in a very hot oven. If you are having a barbecue, it is a also good place to cook them. People make this dish with boiled aubergines too, but the flavour of roast aubergines is very special and worth the extra trouble. Cook until skin is shrivelled up and partly charred and the flesh is very soft to touch.
- Cool aubergines until you can handle them. I sometimes put them under running cold water for a minute.
- Remove the charred skin, taking care not to lose any flesh attached to the skin. The skin should just peel off when they are fully cooked.
- Place in a bowl and mash with a fork or your hand.
- Add all other ingredients in a bowl, and mix thorough. For a smooth mash, you can whizz them in a food processor, but I like a bit of texture.
- If storing for any length of time, cover with a thin film of olive oil.