Baingan Bharta/
Tzok Vangun

BAINGAN BHARTA: Punjabi-Style Smoky Eggplant

Ingredients: 

2 lbs eggplant

3-4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup high-heat neutral oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut into long thin strips

14 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes

1¼ teaspoon salt

1 Packet Moji Masala® Baingan Masala

1-2 serrano chilis or jalapenos, chopped fine (deseeded for milder flavor) 

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 bunch cilantro, with small stems, chopped

1/2 cup of full fat plain yogurt (optional for dip)

Directions:

Step 1  Pre heat oven to 450 or prepare your grill

Step 2  Wash and dry eggplants; slit the eggplants in a couple of places and stuff in a garlic clove a bit deep so they don’t burn; for small eggplants do one clove split in half and 3 for large eggplants; wrap each eggplant individually in foil

Step 3  Bake about 1 hour or grill on open flame until skin breaks and is very easy to remove; when cool, scoop out eggplant and garlic cloves in a bowl and set aside

Step 4  Place a pot on medium-high heat.  When  hot, add oil.  When oil is hot, add onions and cook until golden-dark brown, taking care not to burn. A lot of flavor comes from the onion being well-browed.

Step 5  Add tomato and fry a few minutes until the oil starts to separate and the tomato has broken apart,  is dark red and soft.

Step 6  Add salt followed by the full packet of Moji Masala Baingan Masala. Blend until well incorporated and bring to gentle boil so spices open up and are well integrated; the canned tomato should provide a good amount of liquid but if it has evaporated, add splashes of water as needed, to keep pan moist

Step 6  Add cooked eggplant and sautee a few minutes to allow masala to aborb into the eggplant; add splashes of water as needed

Step 7  Add the chilis and blend until well incorporated. Add a little water if needed. Turn heat  to low and cook with lid on for about 5 minutes.

Step 8  Off-heat, mix in lemon juice and garnish with a good handful of cilantro

Step 9  (optional) For a more cooling flavor or to turn into a dip, blend in the yogurt

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TZOK VANGUN: Kashmiri-Style Tangy Eggplant

Ingredients: 

1 lb baby eggplants, quartered lengthwise

1/4 cup high heat neutral oil

1 small yellow onion, cut into long thin strips

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon fine salt (not sea salt)

1 packet moji masala Baingan Masala

1 tbsp tamarind concentrate or white vinegar

Directions:

Step 1  Pre heat oven to 450 or prepare your grill

Step 2  Bake the quartered eggplants skin-side down for half an hour and then skin-side up for 10 minutes.  The eggplant should be soft and wrinkled.

Step 3  Place a pot on medium-high heat.  When  hot, add oil.  When oil is hot, add onions and cook until golden-dark brown, taking care not to burn. A lot of flavor comes from the onion being well-browed.

Step 4  Reduce heat to medium.  Add the garlic and saute briefly untli fragrant.

Step 5  Add a large splash of water.  Add salt followed by the full packet of Moji Masala Baingan Masala.  Saute for a minute allowing the spices to open up.

Step 6  Add 1/2 cup of water and stir well.  Add in the tamarind concentrate or vinegar and stir well again

Step 7    Lay the the baked eggplant strips in the masala paste skin-side up.  Stir gently until well coated.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. 

Step 8  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and the masala paste has absorbed well into the egplant.