No effing garam masala - real baingan ka bharta recipe

If you are Indian, single, living in the US and cooking regularly at home, you know how every recipe starts and ends with onion, tomatoes and garam masala. This is a very simple recipe to make a good bharta without the generic spice so that it tastes right. Though I say it is a simple recipe, if you are fans of Sandra Lee this recipe is not for you. (I shudder to think of the evil woman)

To serve three or four you will need

2 large eggplants
2 onions one finely diced and one ground to paste
3 large tomatoes ground to paste
2 Serrano peppers, finely chopped
1.5" piece fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Wash and wipe the eggplants. Poke deep holes all over the eggplants using a fork. Rub them with a dab of oil and a pinch of salt. Toss them into a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour. Put a tray on the rack under the eggplants to catch the juices and prevent them from falling on the heating element or the oven floor. Those are hard to get rid of.

Turn the eggplant around at the thirty minute mark to ensure even cooking. This may not be necessary but I am finicky.

Remove and cool the eggplants after they are done. Slit them right down the middle and scoop out the flesh with a spoon going as close to the skin as possible.

Heat the vegetable oil in the cast iron skillet on medium heat. Don't make Indian food in non stick pans. Without the crusty bits Indian food doesn't taste perfect. Stirring cooked eggplant paste around in a non stick skillet just makes it really grey and blah. Again, I am finicky.

Add the cumin and onions (diced and ground) to the hot oil and stir with a wooden spoon. Fight the urge to add garlic. Trust me; you don't have to put it in everything. Ginger is the star in this dish.

I like texture added by the diced onions. Onion paste, tomato paste and eggplant paste just seem unappetizing to me. So take that little extra effort or just dice all the onions and skip grinding them if you want to save time.

Add the Serrano peppers, ginger, red chili powder, and coriander powder, to the onions and stir until the onions are browned. By now I bet everything smells wonderful. Pour in the ground tomatoes and add the salt. Once the tomatoes have thickened, add the mashed eggplant and mix well. Let the mixture fry for at least fifteen minutes. Add the coriander and do the taste test. Serve with hot rotis.

You will notice that because of the lack of garam masala you are more aware of the ginger, the Serrano and the other spices. If the tomatoes are not sour enough to balance the bland egg plant add a teaspoon of amchur powder.

Minimize the use of generic spices and set your taste buds free!