Baghara Baingan

Baghara baingan is a popular dish from Hyderabad. It is a rich gravy of coconut, peanuts and spices cooked along with eggplants.

Ingredients:
Eggplants-1/4 kg(about 7 if you are using baby eggplants. I used 2 Italian eggplants)
Onions chopped-1.5 cups
Tomato-1 medium size(2 if small)
Jeera-1 tsp
Oil-3 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves-to garnish

To grind together:
Cashews-10
Roasted Peanuts-1/4 cup
Garlic cloves-2
Dry Roasted sesame-1 tbsp
Dry Roasted coriander seeds-1 tbsp
Coconut-1/4 cup

Method:
Grind the above ingredients with water to a fine paste and set aside.
Chop eggplants into thin long pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera, when it crackles, add onions. Fry till it turns golden brown.
Add eggplants and fry for 5 minutes. Add chopped tomato, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and fry for another 5 minutes. Now add the ground paste, little water and bring it to a gravy like consistency and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice or rotis.

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Pineapple Rasam

Being a pineapple lover, I wonder how I missed making this rasam all these days. I took the recipe from Chithra Viswanathan's page. It was very delicious. Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:
Finely chopped pineapple-1/2 cup
Tomatoes-2
Green chilli-1
Cooked thur dal-2 tbsp
Rasam powder-1.5-2 tsp(depending on how spicy your powder is)
Hing-a pinch
Salt
Curry leaves-a few
Coriander leaves-for garnishing
Lime juice- from 1 or 2 limes(depending on sourness)
To tamper:
Ghee-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp

To decorate-extra pineapple pieces

Method:
Cook together tomatoes, pineapple pieces, a few coriander leaves, curry leaves with 1/2 cup water till they turn soft(6-7 min) and blend the mixture using a hand blender to a smooth paste.
To this add green chilli, rasam powder, salt, hing and cooked dal mixed with 3 cups of water.
Boil the mixture on medium heat till the raw smell of rasam powder goes off(15 min).
Switch off the gas, tamper and add lime juice.
Top with finely chopped coriander leaves & pineapple pieces.