Vegetarian Nirvana

Shahi Baingan (Eggplant Cooked in Yogurt)

            2½ pounds eggplant

            ¾ teaspoon salt

            Oil for deep frying

            2 large onions, sliced lengthwise

            1 teaspoon ground cumin

            1 teaspoon ground coriander

            ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

            ½ teaspoon turmeric

            ¾ teaspoon salt

            1 pound chopped tomatoes

            6 ounces yogurt

            1 teaspoon garam masala

            Chopped cilantro for garnish

Halve the eggplant and cut it into ½ inch thick rounds or half rounds.  Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon salt on the slices and let the eggplant sit uncovered for 30 minutes.  Pat dry with paper towels. 

In a deep skillet, heat the oil until nearly smoking.  Fry the eggplant slices, a few at a time, until they are golden.  Do not crowd them.  Drain the fried eggplant slices in a colander.  Reserve the drained oil for the next step.

In a skillet, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil.  Fry the sliced onions until they are golden brown.  Add all of the spices except the garam masala.  Add the tomatoes and cook on medium, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the oil begins to separate from the tomatoes.  Stir in the yogurt and ¾ teaspoon salt and bring the mixture to a boil.

Lower the heat and stir in the eggplant slices and garam masala.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro.

Note:  If you do not wish to fry the eggplant, brush the eggplant with oil on both sides, after you  pat them dry.  Arrange them in a single layer in a cookie sheet and place them under the broiler.  Watch and remove the sheet as soon as the layer of eggplant pieces begins to turn golden.  Turn

them and broil the other side the same way.  From this point on you may follow the above recipe.

Sabzi Pakoras [Vegetable fritters]

            2 pounds vegetables (potatoes, onions, eggplant, zucchini,

                        bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli)

            2 cups gram flour

            1 cup water

            1 teaspoon salt

            ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

            ½ teaspoon ground cumin

            ½ teaspoon ground coriander

            ½ teaspoon garam masala

            2 tablespoons yogurt

            Oil for deep frying

Slice potatoes and onions about 1/4 inch thick.  Slice eggplant and zucchini into 1/4"rounds.  Slice the bell peppers into1-2" slices.  Cut cauliflower and broccoli into 2" florets.  Sprinkle the vegetables with a little salt and cayenne pepper and leave them in a colander to drain.

About an hour before cooking, mix the flour and water in a large bowl.  When you are ready to cook the pakoras, add all the spices and the yogurt and beat the mixture well to make a batter.

Heat the oil to smoking in a deep frying pan or a wok.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Dip a piece of vegetable in the batter.  Shake off the extra batter and carefully slide the vegetables into the oil from the side of the wok or pan to avoid splattering.  Fry only a few pieces at a time, turning them frequently until they are golden brown.  Drain them on paper towels and serve hot with mint chutney.