Baingan Ka Bharta (Aubergine Curry)

                          It was a cold morning today after such a lovely weather we had so far this year. I had to remind myself that autumn is really here now.

        Being an ardent foodie, I always link the weather to the seasonal food. This cold weather reminded me of Baingan ka Bharta and Baajre ki Roti ( Aubergine curry and Millet flat bread popularly consumed in India during winters).
        When I think of Baingan ka Bharta, the first thing that comes to my mind is the lovely smell of roasted aubergine. But, there are so many different versions of making Bharta in India and the notable thing is they all taste quite good.
       The recipe of Baingan ka Bharta that I am going to share today is Punjabi style. I had it at a Punjabi friend's place years ago and since then it is one of the family favourites. This recipe doesn't require the roasting of the aubergine on the open flame and hence, saves us from the tedious job of cleaning the cooking range afterwards.

Ingredients and Recipe-
Aubergine 1
Red Onion 1 large
Tomato 1 large
Green chillies 1-2
Ginger 1" piece
Oil 2 tbsp
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Salt and Red chilly powder as per taste
Coriander for garnishing
Mustard seeds,Cumin seeds,Asafoetida and Curry leaves for tempering

1)First, slice the aubergine in 3-4 thick slices and pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles.
2)Once, the steam is escaped, take it out and mash well.
3)Finely chop onion and tomato and also green chillies and ginger.
4)Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves serially.Once the seeds start crackling, add green chilly and ginger pieces to it and stir well.
5)Now sweat the chopped onion and then add chopped tomatoes. Mix well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
6)Now add mashed aubergine and mix well.
7) Add red chilly powder,salt,coriander powder and mix well.
8) Yummy Baingan ka Bharta is ready. Garnish it with lots of coriander or spring onion on the top and serve it with Jowar/ Bajra Roti or Chapati!!