Achari Baingan

For brinjal /eggplant/aubergine lovers, this will be a welcome change from baingan bharta and also serves as a great accompaniment for both chapati and hot rice.

This is a flexible preparation and I have tried with all the mentioned ingredients. It tastes good, but careful when you buy the eggplant. It should be seedless or minimum seeds - should be lightweight - if in doubt - always take the long finger shaped ones.

Ingredients

Dhania - Corriander seeds - one teaspoon
Saunf - Mouri / Aniseed/Fennel - one tea spoon
Jeera - Cumin seeds - one and half tea spoon
Two dried red chilli - thin type ( not the kashmiri type - it only adds color)
The above four heated/roasted on a dry tawa and grinded and mixed
Optional - Any form of Tandoori / Chicken masala poweder ( Everest preferred) - one spoon - you may use only this if you don't have the time to prepare the masala out of the first four ingredients but use two spoons in such ocassions.

Optional - one tea spoon amchur ( dried mango powder)

Two large Brinjal/Eggplant/aubergine in long slices - avoid round pieces
Two large onions cut in half and then sliced - thick slices will do also.
Four green chillies - sliced lengthwise ( as per your taste - keep whole with just some holes with a fork)
Two medium red tomatoes - cut in four.
A small bunch of fresh coriander leaves - chopped. (cilantro)
12 pods of garlic sliced in length.
Salt to taste - one spoon
Mustard oil - Two table spoon ( or any other oil)

Process

Heat one spoon of oil in a small pressure cooker and then reduce the heat - drop the 12 pods of garlic in oil - wait for half a minute till you get the smell and then drop the tomatoes, brinjals, and the powdered masala and mix well - add the green chillies, onions, coriander leaves, salt and the other spoonful of oil. Mix well - allow one whistle at full heat. Hold below water and remove the cover once the vessel cools down. Sprinkle some more coriander leaves - mix well and keep in a covered vessel. Serve with hot rice or chapati.

Tip: If you have any old dark mango pickle pour in the mustard oil there and let it there for some time. Shake well and take out two table spoons of the oil plus any masala / spices which comes out - use it for cooking. You can avoid the amchur and masala powder both.

Bengali Food - Simple Yellow Dal with Begun Bhaja

Simple yellow dal with radhuni (wild celery/ajmod).

This is one of my all time favorites mostly during summer. Preparation is easy and goes with hot rice but of course with support of garam begun bhaja ( hot deep fried brinjals) or aloo bhaja ( french fries.

Ingredients:
Musur dal - Red lentil seeds - one and half cup
Radhuni - one tea-spoon full /alternate spice is Kalo Jeera ( Nigella and not Bunium persicum which is also refered as Kalo jeera/ black cumin / shahi jeera or wild cumin in Persia and other parts - the two taste are diagonaly different) Nigella or Kalo jeera is widley used in Bengal.
Mustard oil - two table spoon
Chopped Coriander leaves - two table spoon.
Green chillies - 4 - 2 slit and two forked .
Salt - to taste

Radhuni or wild celery or ajmod in urdu is a strong spice - it requires some washing after purchase and drying in the sun before storing - clean versions are sometimes available also. The spice is so strong that it can over power any other spices even if used in pinches. So its best advisable to use this one in stand alone.

Process

Wash the dal / lentil seeds thoroughly to remove the insecticides and pesticides and keep aside.
Heat one table spoon oil in a pressure cooker, drop the wild celery / radhuni and fry it till you get the strong smell, add the daal, add 3 cups water ( this dal is best with more water ) add the coriander leaves, green chilies and cover and cook for one whistle. keep it closed for 15 mins - open add the other table spoon of oil and keep covered till you serve it.

Fried Brinjals - Begun bhaja

Cut as per the shape of the brinjal ( long cuts for finger shaped ones and round cuts for big ones), rub turmeric, red chili powder, salt and deep fry. The trick of using less oil is you need to brush atta wheat flour on the cut brinjals lightly before frying. Cut Brinjals just before frying to avoid oxidation which will turn the flesh dark. Sprinkle amchur ( dried mango powder) before serving.

Enjoy !!