Indian Cuisine - Baingan Bartha

Today's recipe is another vegan Indian dish, which is one of my personal favourites.  Baingan Bartha (similar dish known as kathrikai thayir kothsu in South India) is a dry eggplant curry, that is heavy on smokey flavour and garlic.  Typically curd (yoghurt) is added to the dish at the end, as I am vegan, this is being excluded from the preparation.  Feel free to add fresh grounded coconut to the dish, if you want to make it more of a Maharashtrian vangyachi barith style dish.


Ingredients
Eggplant (4 large)
Cumin Seeds (1 Tsp)
Oil (4 Tsp)
Curry Leaves (handful)
Diced Onions (1 large)
Spring Onion
Diced Garlic (half a head)
Diced Green Chilli (1 piece)
Turmeric (pinch)
Hing (pinch)
Garam Masala (2 Tsp)
Red Chilli Powder (1 tsp)
Peanut Powder (2 Tsp)
Coriander Leaves (bunch)
Salt (to taste)

Instructions
1.  Firstly, the eggplants must be smoked/cooked.  The ideal way to be this is smoking them over an open flame.  If this is too messy for you, then you can cook them in the oven on a high heat.  After they are well cooked, remove the skin from them completely.
2.  Heat oil in a pan and add the tempering of cumin seeds, curry leaves.
3.  After a few second, add the diced onion, spring onion and salt.
4.  Once onions become transparent, add green chilli and garlic.
5.  Then add the spices of turmeric, hing, garam masala and chilli powder. (at this point also add curd if you desire).
6.  After the raw flavour of the spices is gone, then add your soft and gooey eggplant.  Cook for 3-4 more minutes and sprinkle fresh chopped coriander to finish.

Bhojan ka anand!