Baba ganoush with Indian Flavour

Here I am going to give this levantine dish of eggplant(aburgin/brinjal) a Indian flavour. Though olive oil is being used in the original dish here I am using vegetable oil and few groundspices which are readily available in our kitchen selves.

Serving: 2

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1 Large Aburgin( Eggplant/Brinjal)
2. 1 medium onion (Julian cut)
3. 4 cloves garlic ( finely chopped)
4. 1 inch ginger( finely chopped)
5. 1 green chilli
6. 1 medium tomato ( finely chopped)
7. 2 tbsp yougrut
8. 3 tbsp vegetable oil
9. 1/4 tsp garam masala
10. 1/4 tsp coriander powder
11. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
12. Salt to taste

Now we have all our ingredients ready. Lets get Cooking

Method:

1. Cut the aburgin lengthwise into halves. Rub one tablespoon of oil on both sides
2. Set the oven in 180 degree centigrade and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until soft
3. Now remove the skin and cut into small chunks( you can mash if you like so)
4. Put a frying pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
5. Once oil is ready put chopped ginger garlic and green chilli and cook for a minute and then add onion into the pan.
6. Sauté the onion and add chopped tomato and all the dry spices. Cook the mix for about 5-7 minutes until all the spices mix together.
7. Now add the aburgin and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 table spoon of yoghurt, mix well with aburgin and remove from heat.
8. Garnish baba ganoush with other one table spoon of yoghurt and any fresh herbs like parsley or coriander.

Wrap this in a tortilla with lettuce bed and have it as quick healthy lunch. Hmm... yummy :-)

Bengali Rasgulla

Servings: 12 rasgullas

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 litre whole milk
• 1 tsp all purpose flour( for binding)
• 3/4 of medium size lemon(Alternatively 3/4 tbsp malt vinegar)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Pressure cooker

Step 1: Paneer(cheese)

1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat and stir it so that milk does not burn.
2. When milk comes to boil add the lemon juice or vinegar gradually and stir the milk.
3. Add bit more of lime juice or vinegar if needed untill curd is separated from the whay completely.
4. Turn off the heat and strain the curd in a strainer using a clean muslin cloth. Put the curd under cold running water to remove the sourness and smell of lemon/vinegar.
5. Now wrap the curd in the muslin cloth and squeeze out all the excess water.
6. Place the paneer on a dry clean plate and add one teaspoon all purpose flour. Flour helps binding the balls.
7. Now knead paneer for about 4 to 5 minute until paneer is rolls into smooth and soft dough.
8. Divide the dough into ten balls and cover using a cling film and keep aside for 10/15 minutes.
9. By the time balls rest, lets start making the syrup for rasgulls.

Step 2: Rasgullas

1. Mix 2 cups of sugar and one cup of water in a pressure cooker and bring it to boil on a medium heat. As soon as boil comes, add the paneer balls and lower the heat one point down and put the pressure cooker lid. About 10-12 minutes you should get the first whistle.
2. Take the pressure cooker out from the heat once first whistle comes and pour cold water( put it in a sink under running cold water) get the pressure out.
3. Rasgullas expand almost double size one cooked in the sugar syrup.
4. Remove the rasgullas from syrup and add other one cup sugar in the remaining syrup and add back the rasgullas in to the pressure cooker and finally remove the rasgulls with the syrup into a serving bowl.

Note: I have added 1 cup sugar in second phase. This is optional if you need very sweet. Elese escape.

If rasgullas do not become spongy them cook for few more minutes.

Gulab Jamun

Servings: 10 balls

Prep Time: 30 mintues

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

For Sugar Syrup

1. 300 ml water
2. 250 gm sugar
3. 2 cardamom
4. 4/5 safron strings

Mix the above ingredients in a deep saucepan and put it in a medium heat and allow it to boil. Switch off the heat and proceed to make the jamuns

For Jamuns

1. 100gm milk powder (Grind the milk powder in a grinder if powder is course so that you get a fine texture).
2. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3. 4 tbsp plain flour ( sieve the plain flour in a strainer and use the fine flour).
4. 2 tbsp melted butter
5. 3 tbsp milk

Mix the above five ingredients and make a nice dough. Divide the dough into ten small balls and keep aside. Deep fry the balls in vegetable oil in a slow heat for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Keep the jamun balls for a minute or two and them immerse them in the hot syrup. Serve once cool.