Brinjal Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

Brinjal Bharta

'Eggplant/Aubergine' or 'Brinjal' as it's popularly called in India, is on my list of 'not-so favorite' veggies . It's not that the list is very long-there are just two vegetables (brinjal and potatoes) and again it's not that I will not touch them. I prefer to eat them only in certain dishes:potatoes as chips or in Masala Dosa and brinjal as a bharta, pakora or stuffed.
For the Brinjal bharta, the brinjal is usually first roasted whole over a fire (since we have an electric cooktop here, I had to bake it) . Once roasted,the brinjal pulp is then cooked with chopped onions,tomatoes and garnished with chopped cilantro. The Brinjal bharta goes well with 'phulkas/roti' or with steamed rice and dal.Here are the ingredients for Brinjal Bharta:
Ingredients:

• Eggplant/brinjal: 1 big
• Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 1-2 ,diced
• Green chillies: 1-2,slit lengthwise
• Ginger: 1 tsp, finely chopped
• Garlic: 4-5, finely chopped
• Garam masala: 1tsp
• Cilantro/coriander leaves: 5 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1tsp

Method:

1. Spread a little oil over the skin of the eggplant/brinjal and roast over an open flame till it gets cooked(or you could bake it in the oven for 20-30mins).
2. After it cools a bit, remove the skin (the oil applied on the skin makes it easy) and coarsely chop the eggplant pulp. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan,then add the chopped ginger and garlic. Let it fry for about a minute,then add the chopped onions and salt.
4. Saute till the onions become translucent, then add the slit green chillies, diced tomatoes and garam masala powder. Stir for about 5-6 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.
5. Add the pulp of the brinjal and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Garnish the brinjal bharta with chopped cilantro and serve hot with phulkas.

Brinjal Bharta

Question: What is your favorite dish with 'eggplant/aubergine'?