Kanda Bhaji

Ingredients:

2 onions, cut into halves and then sliced,

Besan or gram flour enough for the batter,

3/4 tsp turmeric powder,

1-2 tsp red chilli powder (as per your taste),

2 tsp ajwain (Carrom seeds),

Salt to taste,

Water,

Oil for frying

Method:

Apply some salt to the sliced onion and leave it aside till the onion leaves some water. Then add little gramflour (smaller quantity at a time) and mix. Note that the onion should be noticeable in the bhajis. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ajwain and some salt (taste before you add salt since you had already applied some salt to the onion) and water and make a batter that is of dropping consistency by sticky. Heat oil for frying in a kadhai (wok) on a medium high flame for 3-4 minutes. Then lower the flame to medium-low, remove 2 tbsp of hot oil from the kadhai and add to the batter and mix well. Then drop small bhajis in the oil and fry stirring till they are cooked and crisp. If you increase the flame then the bhajis would brown quickly and remain uncooked from inside. Serve with garlic chutney, mint chutney or tomato ketchup.

Baingan Bharta

Ingredients:

One honkin’ eggplant (read: large)

1 jalapeno – chopped and seeded (or leave the seeds in if you’ve got the cajones)

1 can no-salt diced tomatoes – drained but not rinsed

1/2 inch ginger – coarsely chopped

1 red pepper – finely diced

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chili peppers

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garam masala

cilantro – chopped (just about a 1/2 a cup)

olive oil

Method:

Cook and cool your eggplant until its completely soft. Once it cools, peel off the skin and chop/mash into a small, mushy dice. Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, and ginger and use an immersion blender to combine. Heat a tad of olive oil over medium heat and saute the red pepper in it for about 2 minutes. Remove the red pepper and put it to the side. Add a bit more olive oil to your pan and throw in your cumin seeds. When they start to emit their amazing scent, add in the tomato/jalapeno/ginger mixture. After a few minutes of that simmering, add in the spices, bell pepper, and eggplant. Let that simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the cilantro at the end. Serve over quinoa or with naan.