Eggplant - Punjabi Style

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant curry)
You will find a lot of recipes on the net for this dish. This however as usual is my version of the Punjabi special.
Ingredients
1 large Eggplant (Baingan) (3-4 long brinjals if you are in India)
2 Large tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of Ginger
½ Large White Onion (2 Indian onions)
2 Teaspoons Cumin powder
2 Teaspoons Corriander powder
3-4 Tablespoons of Canola or Vegetable Oil
4 Green Chilies
½ bunch of corrainder
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (optional)
1 cup of green peas (soaked overnight and cooked. Adding frozen peas really spoils the taste. Avoid this ingredient if you cannot find fresh peas.)
Process:
Preheat the oven to 450 Degrees. Oil the tomatoes and the Baingan. Pierce the Baingan at random in various places with a fork (Do not pierce it too much or too hard otherwise the eggplant will break part). Bake the eggplant for about 35- 40 mins till it is really soft. Bake the Tomatoes as well (for 20 mins).
Take a pan and put the oil in it. Add the onions and the chilies and fry the onions till they are golden brown. Whisk the tomatoes slightly for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes to the onions and continue to fry them over a low heat.
Now take the eggplant out of the oven, wash it under water (to reduce the heat) peel the skin and cut it into small pieces. Add the eggplant to the onions, chilies and tomato and mash the eggplant, stir in the peas. Add salt to taste, Cumin and coriander powder and let it be on the pan for 4 mins. Now add the coriander leaves (cut into small pieces) and serve with Naan or Chapati.
Coming up next: Baingan Dosa – a fusion between North and South Indian cuisines