Name: Grilled Eggplant Pâté with Mango Powder (Baingan Bharta)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: ½ cup finely chopped red onion, for garnishing (optional); 1 tablespoon Toasted Cumin-Coriander Blend; 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric; 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems; 2 tablespoons mango powder or fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoons Ghee or canola oil; 2 to 4 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, to taste, stems removed; 1 cup crushed tomatoes (see Tips); 1 large eggplant (about 1½ pounds); 6 large cloves garlic; 1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

Northerners hanker for smoky-flavored eggplant like this one for many a special-occasion meal. Back in India (and even in commercial north Indian restaurants around the globe), the eggplant is often dropped directly onto the hot coals of a tandoor (a clay oven) to char its skin. The grilled eggplant is then peeled, mashed with herbs and spices, and stir-fried with ghee to create sublime flavors.