Indian style aubergine mash OK - first things first; this dish doesn't look pretty, even with some fresh coriander sprinkled on top... but it tastes wonderful.
By roasting whole aubergines in the oven for half an hour or so depending on their size, you can scrape out the soft insides (or peel off the skin) before mashing them with flavouring ingredients of your choice. In this Goan inspired version, slow fried onion, garlic, chili pepper and ginger are prepared separately before combining with the eggplant flesh (skin removed). You can choose to puree this exotic combination into a cream or simply mash gently and serve as a delicious, warm side dish with curries and rice. If you have the chance to BBQ the aubergines, you'll develop a smokier taste more akin to Baba Ganoush, but because of the strongly spiced seasonings, it's not necessary. What is important is roasting whole aubergines rather than frying them - you don't want too much oil in this dish and as many of us know from those often too greasy Italian antipasta plates, aubergines just love to soak up the oil. One hint... prick the skins a few times before roasting; you don't want them to explode from the steam which accumulates inside! Oven: Use a fan oven pre-heated to 200°C or 400°F. Nutrition? Aubergines are a source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and Manganese; the 9 grams of carbohydrate/100 gm contain a healthy 3 grams of dietary fibre (net 6 grams/100g). |
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Method
1/ Roast the aubergines in their skin at 200°C for half an hour or so till they are very soft to the touch.
2/ Meanwhile, slow cook the chopped onions in ghee for 15 minutes till they just begin to get a golden colour
3/ Then add the chopped ginger, chile and garlic. If you remove the central, slightly greenish core of the garlic, it will be easier to digest (some people are sensitive, some not).
4/ Cook together on a low heat for another 10 minutes.
5/ Remove the aubergines and start peeling & scraping out the insides when they are cool enough.
6/ Add aubergine pulp to the onion mixture, with the garam masala, salt and pepper; mash and cook for 10 minutes - puree if preferred.
7/ Just before serving, add two tablespoons of chopped coriander.
Note: This dish is another case of art, not science. Please feel free to vary the spiciness and proportions just as you like them, but for reference; I find the best final dish uses a ratio of about four times as much aubergine to cooked onion mixture.
2/ Meanwhile, slow cook the chopped onions in ghee for 15 minutes till they just begin to get a golden colour
3/ Then add the chopped ginger, chile and garlic. If you remove the central, slightly greenish core of the garlic, it will be easier to digest (some people are sensitive, some not).
4/ Cook together on a low heat for another 10 minutes.
5/ Remove the aubergines and start peeling & scraping out the insides when they are cool enough.
6/ Add aubergine pulp to the onion mixture, with the garam masala, salt and pepper; mash and cook for 10 minutes - puree if preferred.
7/ Just before serving, add two tablespoons of chopped coriander.
Note: This dish is another case of art, not science. Please feel free to vary the spiciness and proportions just as you like them, but for reference; I find the best final dish uses a ratio of about four times as much aubergine to cooked onion mixture.