I know so many of you love aubergine(eggplant/baingan) and nothing makes me happier than to create a few recipes which make all of you happy. This recipe has been inspired by a typical Sindhi recipe called “vangar basar” which translated means aubergines in onions. This recipe is full of vitamins and goodness. We sindhis usually eat it with “khichdi” which is a bland lentil and rice concoction. I learnt to eat this vegetable in my paternal aunts home in Mumbai and she would make it wonderfully. When i went back to HongKong i tried to create the same taste and it was impossible. I then gradually learnt that the onions in india are of a differnt quality and cook quickly. I have now adapted the recipe but i still cant get that same taste which  i remember my aunt would create. The beautiful thing about this recipe is you can make it spicy, with or without spices and its good for pregnant women and also when you breast feed.
Aubergines/eggplants are a rich source of vitamins B-1, B-6 and B-3 are abundant in eggplant. It also has a lot of dietary fibre so its a good vegetable to eat. In this particular recipe i have peeled my eggplants to give it a different look, but you can make it with the peel on , the taste is the same with or without the peel.
INGREDIENTS.:
400 grams of eggplant/aubergine, peeled and finely cubed
200 grams of onions, cubed (try using the small red variety)
100 grams of red tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
a few chopped green chillies(if breastfeeding or pregnant, please avoid…think of little baby!!!)
1/2 teaspoon each of cumin and coriander powder and pure turmeric powder( i did not put)
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of cooking oil or less if you want
a handful of chopped coriander leaves
METHOD:
Ok… i will write the way my aunt used to make it and then the way i have adapted the recipe to try and recreate her style because of the quality of onions available here in Spain. What my aunt would do is take a heavy bottomed pot and add the oil and then a layer of onions, aubergine, tomatoes, sprinkle salt and the spices. Add the ginger , green chillies and coriander leaves and cover the pot with a tight lid and cook it on low heat till the aubergines and onions were soft. It would take around 15-20 minutes. She would then open the lid, give it a good stir and cook till the water had evaporated and serve.
Now….when i would do this i could taste the rawness of the onions..So…this is how i make it
I heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot and then add the ginger and let it sizzle for a few seconds and add the onions and the salt. Adding salt to the onions helps them to sweat removing extra moisture and cook quickly. Once they are soft i add the pealed aubergine and the spices (which i did not put) and the green chillies, tomatoes and coriander leaves. I cover the pot and let it cook on slow heat till everything is well mashed.
This is best eaten with “khichdi”….

For jain recipe omit the onions and ginger
Do enjoy!!