Baigan choka and other recipes

Growing up I grew accustomed to my mother “chunkaying” (process of heating oil to add to any dish) choka in a bid to bring food to the table in quick time. Coming from a large family it took her about 45 minutes to prepare twelve sada roti cooked in the chulha and a pot of tea with a basin of choka – which could be tomatoes, baigan or eddoes.

Today we have grills and barbecue pits that can save us time when roasting the vegetables to make choka. However, it does not taste as good as those that came from the chulha.

Preparing baigan (melongene or eggplant) is quite easy as the soft interior of this vegetable makes it cook quickly and baigan, fried or baked in casserole or cooked in curry, tastes delightful.

Baigan is an excellent source of dietary fibre. It is also a very good source of vitamins B1, B6 and potassium. It’s a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, and folic acid. Nasunin, an anthocyanin from eggplant peels, is a potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, and has protective activity against lipid peroxidation.

Here are some easy baigan recipes:

Baigan choka

Ingredients:

2 medium sized baigan

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion

1 tsp oil

1 green pepper

salt to taste

Method:

Using a knife, pierce holes in the baigan and insert the garlic cloves. Then put them in open heat to be roasted. Place the pepper in open heat to be roasted also. Meanwhile cut up onions in thin slices. Peel the skin off the baigan and place the roasted pulp in a bowl. Add the pepper, onions and salt. Now heat the oil in a spoon or saucepan and throw in a slice of onion. When the onion turns brown then throw the oil to the baigan. Mix properly and serve with roti while hot.

Cheese, leek and potato tortilla

Ingredients:

Butter , for frying

1 leek , thinly sliced

225g potatoes cooked and cooled (about 1-2 medium size ones)

6 eggs

85g cheddar

1 tbsp sage , finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried sage), optional

Method:

Melt a knob of butter in a medium, nonstick frying pan, then cook the leek for about five mins until softened. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half, then into slices about ?cm thick. Beat the eggs, season, then stir in the cheese and sage.

Add a little extra butter to the pan if needed, tip in the potatoes, then the egg mixture. Turn the heat to low, then cook for ten mins until nearly set. Place under a hot grill, then cook for a couple of mins more until the top is set and golden. Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.

Indian Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

4 small eggplants, halved lengthwise

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons vindaloo curry powder (optional)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

Method:

Scoop the inside out of the eggplant halves, leaving 1/4 inch of flesh attached to the skin. Roughly chop the removed eggplant, and set the shells aside. Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion and garlic until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about five minutes.

Stir in the coriander, vindaloo powder, chili powder, and salt; continue cooking two to three minutes until the spices are very fragrant. Stir in the chopped eggplant flesh, and cook until very soft, mashing as you go. Pour in a little water if needed to keep the eggplant from burning. Keep the mashed eggplant hot over low heat. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry the eggplant halves in the hot oil until crisp, about five minutes. Drain upside-down on a paper towel-lined plate. Once drained, spoon in the reserved filling, and serve hot.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups fine, dry bread crumbs mixed with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

olive oil

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried leaf basil

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crumbled

16 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Wash eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Dip into beaten eggs then dredge with seasoned bread crumbs. Place slices on a plate and chill for 30 to 45 minutes. Heat about 1/8-inch of oil in a heavy skillet. Fry eggplant on both sides until golden brown and crispy. Drain well on paper towels. In a saucepan, heat tomato sauce, basil, and oregano. Spread 1/3 of the sauce in a greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish. Layer half of the eggplant, half of the mozzarella cheese slices, another 1/3 of the sauce, and half the Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.