SPICY MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE CHICKPEA, BELL PEPPER, EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND TAHINI STEW (VEGETARIAN) - RAGOÛT MOYEN-ORIENTALISANT AUX LÉGUMES D'ÉTÉ, POIS CHICHES, ÉPICES ET AU TAHINI (VÉGÉTARIEN)

If you follow me via my Facebook page, you might be familiar with my daily " light & healthy supper" posts*. Well to make a long story short, I use this space to share with my fans the detailed desription of the humble, yet delicious, budget-friendly, wholesome and totally improvised meals I cook every evening.

Against all expectations, my quotidian dinner ramblings have become quite popular and a few of the people who enthusiastically read them have told me that I inspire them greatly. Many have even asked me whether I'd consider putting my recipes on the blog.

The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.
- Sylvia Plath

Of course I'd love to be one of those hyperactive bloggers who publishes on a day-to-day basis and always feels the urge to put pen to paper or grab his/her camera, but unfortunately that's not me. You see, I'm a self-doubting perfectionist who has anxiety issues and suffers from chronic bouts of depression, so unlike many creative souls, I generally cannot be put under any kind of pressure or else my inspiration and mojo disappear. Stress and mood swings kill me and tame my inner fire. As a matter of fact, I am only capable of producing quality material when that big black cloud has ceased to hover over my head and I start to regain my self-confidence as well as my serenity...

Anyway, I have nonetheless been able to quickly take pictures of one of my modest creations that I'm happy to present to you today. This summery "Spicy Middle Eastern-Style Chickpea, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Tomato And Tahini Stew" is really flavorful. Not only is it pleasantly fragrant, but it is also hearty, seasonal, inexpensive and easy to put together.

Nothing artsy-fartsy here, just straight-forward vegetarian grub for foodlovers who care about their well-being, the environment and the state of their bank account without compromising on taste and quality.

* In case you absolutely don't know what I'm talking about, I invite you to visit my "fan page" by clicking on this link.

Spicy Middle Eastern-Style Chickpea, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Tomato And Tahini Stew
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, September 2014.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1 Cloves garlic, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, cubed
1 Eggplant, cubed
1/2 Tsp Ground cumin
1/4 Tsp Ground allspice
1/6 Ground black pepper
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Tsp Tomato paste
400g Cooked chickpeas
3 Tbs Tahini mixed with 5 Tbs Water
3 Tbs Yogurt
A few drops of red Tabasco
1/2 Tbs Fresh mint, chopped
Fine sea salt, to taste

Method:
1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and then the onion. Cook the onion until translucent.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 1/2 a minute.
3. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for about 4 minutes, then add the eggplant and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the spices, quickly stir and add the tomatoes as well as the tomato paste. Cook for 10 minutes, until the juices of the tomato have evaporated.
5. Incorporate the chickpeas, the tahini sauce, the yogurt, the Tabasco and the mint. Cook for another minute.
6. Season with salt and serve.

Remarks:
The tomatoes should not have dissolved completely - pieces should remain.
If you find that the dish/sauce is too thick add a little water.
The mint can be replaced by fresh coriander (a handful).

Serving Suggestions:
Serve this dish alone, or with couscous or basmati rice.

Ragoût Moyen-Orientalisant Aux Légumes d'Été, Pois Chiches, Épices Et Au Tahini
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2014.
 
Ingrédients:
1 CS d'Huile d'olive
1 Oignon, haché
1 Gousses d'ail, hachée
1 Poivron rouge, coupé en dés
1 Aubergine, coupée en dés
1/2 CC de Cumin en poudre
1/4 CC de Tout-épice (poivre de la Jamaïque) en poudre
1/6 de CC de Poivre noir fraîchement moulu
2 Tomates, hachées grossièrement
1 CC de Concentré de tomate
400g de Pois chiches cuits
3 CS de Tahini mélangé à 5 CS d'eau
3 CS de Yogourt
Quelques gouttes de Tabasco rouge
1/2 CS de Menthe fraîche, hachée
Sel de mer, selon goût

Méthode:
1. Faire chauffer une poêle à feu moyen, ajouter l'huile d'olive, puis l'oignon et faire cuire ce dernier jusqu'à ce qu'il soit translucide.
2. Ajouter l'ail et cuire pendant 1/2 d'une minute.
3. Ajouter le poivron et le faire sauter pendant environ 4 minutes, puis ajouter l'aubergine et continuer à faire sauter (en remuant régulièrement) pendant 5 minutes.
4. Ajouter les épices, remuer rapidement et ajouter les tomates ainsi que le concentré de tomate et faire cuire pendant 10 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les jus des tomates se soit évaporé.
5. Incorporer les pois chiches, la sauce au tahini, le yogourt, le Tabasco et la menthe. Laisser cuire encore une minute.
6 Assaisonner avec le sel et servir.

Remarques:
Les tomates ne doivent pas s'être dissoutes - des morceaux doivent rester.
Si vous trouvez que le plat est un peu sec, ajouter de l'eau afin d'obtenir la consistance voulue.
La menthe peut être remplacée par de la coriandre fraîche (une poignée).

Idées De Présentation:
Servir ce plat seul, ou avec du couscous ou du riz basmati.

SUMMER'S GONE: HOLD ON TO THAT HOLIDAY FEELING BY COOKING RICOTTA GNUDI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE - FINI LES VACANCES: FAITES DURER L'ÉTÉ, EN CUISINANT DES GNUDI À LA RICOTTA ET À LA SAUCE TOMATE

The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color.
- Natalie Babbitt "Tuck Everlasting"

No summer in the winter time
Will keep you warm like a funeral pyre
And nothing like an august night
Drenched in your loving
- Danzig "Dirty Black Summer"

Sticky, static, sultry and stuffy August, oh how I loathe thee! Without respite, your hellish waves of scroching heat wash over us like tsunamis of blistering air. From morning to evening, we suffocate and are drenched in sweat. There is no escape fom this sweltering nightmare and the only thing we can do is accept our fate and curse the heavens above for giving us an unsavory foretaste of the purgatory.

Nonetheless, despite this month's unpleasant promiscuity, a part of me loves this barren, yet exquisite time of the year. Actually, there's something desperately romantic, majestically melancholic, deeply nostalgic and profoundly dramatic about August as it marks summer's last breath and announces the arrival of a new season I intensely cherish.

This is the last stretch before the great god of autumn makes his gloriously thunderous entry in a whirlwind of rusty leaves and fiery hues, thus casting a funereal spell of golden death and marvelous decay wherever he goes.

Thankfully, the torture doesn't last long and once we enter the third part of August, the weather becomes more friendly and imperceptible, yet unmissable signs of fall can be detected everywhere: the mornings get crispier and dawn mist repossesses the land, the sky turns a sharper shade of blue, sunsets are much more crimson than they were a fortnight ago, swallows are ready to leave while flocks of crows noisily reclaim their realm, trees begin to turn colors and mushroom as well as game hunting takes off on a shy note.

Some days in late August at home are like this, the air thin and eager like this, with something in it sad and nostalgic and familiar...
 - William Faulkner "The Sound and the Fury"

The fitful breeze sweeps down the winding lane
With gold and crimson leaves before it flying;
Its gusty laughter has no sound of pain,
But in the lulls it sinks to gentle sighing,
And mourns the Summer’s early broken spell, -
“Farewell, sweet Summer,
Rosy, blooming Summer,
Sweet, farewell!”...
- George Arnold

Of course, for most people, August represents the mournful end of the holidays and the abrupt comeback to reality. Not only does the weather tend to turn grey and cold, and people's tans start to fade, but their spirits and gleefulness too.

Ephemeral traveller, wave fairwell to purposeless fun, butterfly-esque frivolity, childish innocence, futile daydreaming, sunny smiles, gorgeous aimlessness and heathenly decadence for those things belong to the past; from now on, gruesome seriosity, tiresome monotony and mortiferous ennui is all you'll know!

Once the kids go back to school and vacationers metamorphose themselves into operative citizens, obedient robots, fast paced, busy and über-humorless workers again, life returns to "normal" and cheerful face expressions are replaced by crispated scowls, general irritation is once more at it's peak and everybody's rebounding with their boring old routine.

All we have left are our memories. We hang on dearly to those remnants of happier moments, because they help us go through all the gloom and long hauls that await us. They are our very own bubble of oxygen when we so desperately need to breathe and our light in the dark when we loose sight of hope...

Life is a combination of magic and pasta. 
- Federico Fellini

So, in order to prolong that exhilarating feeling of joy and well-being, I've decided to blog about a traditional Tuscan speciality which is reminiscent of the hotter and leisurely days: "Ricotta Gnudi With Fresh Tomato Sauce".

Gnudi, pronounced "nood-ee" with a silent "g", derives from the dialect of Tuscany. The word "gnudo" (singular form) means "naked" in English. This name refers to simple dumplings that are similar to gnocchi (contrarily to the latter, they contain no potato as this ingredient is replaced by ricotta) and are basically rustic cheese ravioli without the pasta wrapper.

Gnocchi del Casentino (or strangolapreti, strozzapreti, ravioli nudi - other ways of designating this product) might not look pretty or extremely inviting, but their deceptive appearance should not stop you from trying them. Refusing to sample this humble, yet famous fare would be a blasphemy for gnudi are overwhelmingly heavenly and quite addictive. As a matter of fact, once you've tasted those little culinary gems, you won't be able to live without them anymore (it has become a classic at my place).

Made with the ripest of seasonal tomatoes, fragrant olive oil, fresh pink garlic, aromatic lemon zest and Parmesan that exude the south, this comforting and delectable dish brings a ray of Mediterranean sunshine to the table and uplifts your mood within seconds. There's no better cure for post-vacation blues!

Ricotta Gnudi With Fresh Tomato Sauce

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

Serves 2.

Ingredients For The "Fresh Tomato Sauce": 

6 Ripe tomatoes, deseeded and chopped finely

60ml (1/4 Cup) Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves (I used fresh pink garlic), chopped

1 Tsp Tomato paste

1 Tsp Castor sugar

Fine sea salt, to taste

Ingredients For The "Gnudi":

250g (8.8oz - 1 cup + 1 Tbs) Ricotta
1 Large egg, beaten to blend
1/4 Tsp Freshly ground black pepper

The zest of 1 organic lemon
45g (~ 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbs) finely grated Parmesan (or Grana Padano), plus more
1/4  Tsp Fine sea salt
47g (1/4 Cup + 1 Tbs) All-purpose flour, plus more
Fresh basil, to taste

Method For The "Fresh Tomato Sauce:
1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it is crispy and pale brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar, then season with a little salt.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the sauce is slightly thick and the tomatoes have disintegrated, about 20 minutes.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Method For The "Gnudi": 
5. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, pepper, zest, Parmesan and salt until well combined. 6. Add the flour. Stir until just combined and the mixture forms a ball (it will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels too wet).
7. Dust a baking sheet generously with flour.
8. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape the dough into quenelles (football shapes). Place them on the baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 16).
9. Cook the gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (the gnudi will quickly float to surface - continue cooking or the gnudi will be gummy in the center).
10. Using a slotted spoon, divide the gnudi among the plates/bowls. Top with the tomato sauce and more Parmesan, plus a little chopped basil.

Remarks:
If you have no fresh tomatoes, then you can use 1 (28 0z) can chopped tomatoes.
You can even replace the tomato sauce with "Sage Brown Butter Sauce".
The sauce can be made 3 days ahead (cover and chill) or frozen for up to 3 months.
For more flavor, I fried my gnudi in a little butter just before plating them.

Serving suggestions:
Serve this dish together with a green salad and some minerally rosé or northern Italian white.

Gnudi À La Ricotta Et À La Sauce Tomate
Recette adaptée du magazine Bon Appetit. 

Pour 2 personnes. 

Ingrédients Pour La "Sauce Tomate": 
6 Tomates mûres, épépinées et hachées finement 
60ml d'Huile d'olive
4 Gousses d'ail (j'ai utilisé de l'ail frais rose), hachées 
1 CC de Concentré de tomate
1 CC De sucre semoule/cristallisé fin
Sel de mer fin, selon goût 
Ingrédients Pour Les "Gnudi": 
250g de Ricotta fraîche
1 Gros œuf, battu
1/4 de CC de Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu 
Le zeste d'un citron bio 
45g de Parmesan (ou de Grana Padano), râpé finement 
1/4 de CC de Sel de mer fin
47g de Farine blanche
Baslic frais, haché

Méthode Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
1. À feu moyen, chauffer l'huile dans une casserole moyenne. Ajouter l'ail et le faire rôtir pendant environ 2 minutes, tout en remuant régulièrement, jusqu'à ce qu'il soit croustillant et bien doré (brun pâle).
2. Ajouter les tomates hachées, le concentré de tomate et le sucre, puis assaisonner avec un peu de sel. 
3. Porter à ébullition, puis réduire le feu et laisser mijoter doucement pendant environ 20 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la sauce soit onctueuse
4. Goûter et rectifier l'assaisonement.

Méthode Pour Les "Gnudi": 
5. Mélanger la ricotta, l'œuf, le poivre, le zeste de citron, le parmesan et le sel dans un grand bol et bien mélanger. 
6. Ajouter la farine. Mélanger jusqu'à obtention d'une consistance homogène et molle (ajouter un peu de farine - 1 CS à la fois - si le mélange est trop humide). 
7. Saupoudrez une plaque à pâtisserie généreusement avec de la farine. 
8. À l'aide de 2 grosses cuillères à soupe, former des quenelles. Les placer sur la plaque et les saupoudrer avec un peu de farine supplémentaire (vous devriez en obtenir 16). 
9. Cuire les gnudi dans une grande casserole d'eau bouillante salée pendant 5-6 minutes, en remuant occasionnellement, jusqu'à cuisson complète (les gnudi vont rapidement flotter à la surface - poursuivre la cuisson afin qu'ils soient parfaitement cuits et tendres).
10. À l'aide d'une écumoire sortir les gnudi de l'eau et les répartir dans les assiettes, puis ajouter la sauce tomate et saupoudrer avec un peu parmesan râpé ainsi qu'avec du basilic haché. 

Remarques:
Si vous n'avez pas de tomates fraîches à disposition, alors vous pouvez utiliser 1 boîte de tomates hachées.
Vous pouvez même remplacer la sauce tomate avec du "Beurre Noisette À La Sauge". 
La sauce tomate peut être fabriquée 3 jours à l'avance et conservée au frigo ou congelée (3 mois max.). 
Pour plus de saveur, j'ai légèrement frit mes gnudi dans un peu de beurre - juste avant de les servir.

Suggestion d'accompagnement: 
Servir ce plat avec une salade verte et une bonne bouteille de vin blanc minéral ou rosé pas trop doux (tous deux italiens, de préférence).

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

Ricotta Gnudi with Pomodoro Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine
ingredients
16 ounces ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg yolk, beaten to blend
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano plus more
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more
3 cups homemade Pomodoro Sauce or tomato sauce
Preparation
Mix ricotta, egg, egg yolk, pepper, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until well combined. Add 1/2 cup flour; stir just until combined and mixture forms a ball (mixture will be soft and moist with some bits of ricotta remaining; add more flour by the tablespoonful if it feels wet).
Dust a rimmed baking sheet generously with flour. Using 2 large soup spoons, shape heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into football shapes; place on baking sheet and dust with more flour (you should have 30).
Cook gnudi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and tender, 5-6 minutes (gnudi will quickly float to surface; continue cooking or gnudi will be gummy in the center).
Using a slotted spoon, divide gnudi among bowls. Top with Quick Pomodoro Sauce and more Parmesan.
- See more at: http://www.celinescuisine.com/italian-food/ricotta-gnudi-with-pomodoro-sauce/#sthash.SyxX18a9.dpuf

BAINGAN BHARTA OR SMOKY MASHED EGGPLANTS - A GUEST POST BY TANVI AT "SINFULLY SPICY"

Once again, I have the honor to share with you another guest post by a lovely blogger whom I hold in high regard and whose work I very much enjoy. This very special person is the delightful Tanvi of the very evocatively named blog "Sinfully Spicy".

This well-travelled native young woman hails from Dehli in India and now lives in USA's most fun city, Las Vegas. Besides baking, she loves to cook North Indian food in an instinctive manner and create fusion recipes influenced by her rich roots. Coming from a family of "super cooks", you'd think that she would also love to eat, yet weirdly it is absolutely not the case!

Tanvi is very talented both in her photography as well as in her cooking. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Being of Asian origin, she is naturally a spice addict and adores well-seasoned grub. Hence, blandness is a word which doesn't exist in her vocabulary.

This lady's experementative, healthy, colorful, fragrant, traditional, homely, yet elegant everyday style dishes are just exhalirating and amazingly scrumptious looking. Each creation is gracefully as well as attractively staged, the specialities are always accompanied by interesting information and her pictures are outstanding in their purity and apparent lack of fussiness. Visiting her blog is like taking a one way ticket to buoyant India. Wonderfully desorienting and so exotic.

Thank you so much Tanvi for consenting to write this marvelous post for me and accepting to be my host. Your "Baingan Bharta" rocks and as soon as eggplants are back in season, I'll try that lipsmacking speciality!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a great pleasure to be guest blogging for Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums today. She has one of the most encouraging & kind blogger around, whom I have been lucky enough to be friends with. Depth of her writing, beauty of her lens & her enthusiasm has always been inspiring.It was a pleasant surprise when she wrote to me for a guest post. Thanks so much Rosa for inviting me to your blog today.

I am here to share one of my favorite winter recipes with her wonderful readers today. There are some things in life,which take you back to your roots no matter where you are in the world! My grandmother used to roast vegetables & bread amongst glowing charcoal pieces of her angithi (traditional indian brazier) while she kept herself warm during harsh north indian winters.We used to flock the angithi as kids to feed ourselves. Sitting miles away, the aroma which fills the house while roasting eggplants for this dish is one of those things I look forward to in my kitchen . It’s a trip down memory-lane which nurtures my heart & soul with the spirit of those days.

"Baingan" is Hindi for eggplant & "Bharta" translates to any kind of mash. No points for guessing - this is mashed eggplant with spices. Its an easy recipe originally from rural north india where a chulla (clay/mud cooking stove) is used to roast the eggplants which are then peeled, mashed and combined with oil & spices. If done the traditional way i.e roasting the eggplant in heat from burning coal or wood,the taste of this dish is divine & most authentic. I think, open grilling is the best way to handle eggplant.

The key thing to keep in mind is that you need to char the eggplants to death. Don’t worry about them getting burnt or looking ugly, the peel will go away but before that, it has to make the flesh tender, concentrate the juices & sugars within & infuse the smokiness. Grills, broilers or stove tops work great to do the job, just be ready for a big time cleaning if you choose to use the stove top as I do J The second important thing to ensure is that even though this is a mash, the texture of the finished dish has to be chunky; hence all the ingredients (even spices), which go in, are either coarsely chopped or pounded. In all "Baingan Bharta" is chunky, smoky & spicy mash!

The dish is best served with flatbreads and a pickle /chutney / salad on side. You can serve it as a dip. I sometimes fill miniphyllo cups with bharta, top with some pepper jack cheese & bake to serve as appetizers. The ideas to eat are endless..just try your own way.

~ Baingan Bharta Or Smoky Mashed Eggplants ~
Recipe by Tanvi at "Sinfully Spicy".

Serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
1 Large eggplant (about 1lb)
1 Tsp Oil (for rubbing on the eggplant)
3 Tbs Mustard/olive oil
1 Cup chopped red onions
1 Inch Fresh ginger shoot, chopped
4 Cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 Thai green chilies, chopped (adjust to tolerance)
1.25 Cups Chopped tomatoes
1 Tsp Coriander seeds
3-4 Whole dry red chilies (adjust to tolerance)
1/2 Tsp Amchoor (dry mango powder)
1/2 Tsp Garam masala
Salt, to taste
1 Tsp Mustard/olive oil (for drizzle on top, optional)
Cilantro and green chilies chopped (for garnishing)

Directions:
Wash the eggplant and dry the skin with a cloth.
Rub1 tsp of oil all over.

Use any one of the following methods to char the eggplant:
1. This is what I do:
Heat your stovetop on high. Char the whole eggplant, turning with the use of tongs to char on all sides, until the skin has blackened & the flesh is soft. This will take about 20-22 minutes. Keep a watch while you do this.
2. Preheat a grill to medium heat; you can slit the eggplant into half, grill skin side up for 25-30 minutes. If you plan to use an oven, preheat broiler to 325° F (170° C) and roast the eggplant for about 15-20 minutes until skin is burnt & starts to peel off.

While the eggplant is roasting, pound the coriander seeds and dry red chilies using a mortar & pestle. Set aside.
Once the eggplant has charred, using tongs, transfer it to a plate and let cool down for about 15 minutes. Peel off the charred skin from the eggplant.You can remove seeds if you want. Using a fork, mash the flesh. Set aside.

Heat oil on high in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil is almost smoky, reduce heat to medium & add the chopped onions. Sauté for about 6-7 minutes or till the onions are translucent but not browned. Next, add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies and sauté for 30 seconds or till you smell the aroma. Add the coriander & red chill mixture next and sauté for another 30 seconds. Next, add the chopped tomatoes, set the heat on high again and cook the tomatoes for 7-8 minutes until they soften (but do not mush) and you see oil separating on sides of the pan.
At this point, add the mashed eggplant and salt to taste. Combine everything together, set heat to low and let cook for 3-4 minutes. You will see that the color of the mash deepens & few oil bubbles on the surface as it cooks.

Remove from heat and while still hot, add the dry mango powder and garam masala. Mix well.

Garnish with loads of chopped cilantro, green chilies, drizzle with some raw mustard/olive oil and serve warm with naan/ chapati (flatbreads).
Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

RAW TOMATO SAUCE - A GUEST POST

I have only recently become acquainted with Muna's "MunatyCooking", but I must say that I enjoy her eclectic choice of dishes a lot as they cover a broad spectrum of foods. This lady hailing from the United Arab Emirates offers recipes that range from Western desserts and baked goods to Asian and Middle Eastern specialities. Although all of them look and sound particularly good, I am particularly enthralled by her pungent and savory dishes as I am a real sucker for the lipsmacking and exotic cuisine of those far away regions of the globe.

She edits a wonderful online magazine called "MunatyCooking" and is a talented cook/baker whom I have respect for as she is truly a foodie with undeniable qualities. So, when Muna asked me to write a guest post for her, the mere thought of it made me happy. No matter how big or small a blogger is, it is my pleasure to be welcomed into their homes as I believe that foodblogging is all about exchange, mutual respect, honest friendship and sharing (not always though, but that's what it should all be about).

My love for all things gastronomic has no borders nor does it care about your social status. I'm definitely not a snob who gives the cold shoulder to "newbies" (her site has been open since December 2010) as that is not an attitude I want to adopt or advocate. On the contrary, I despise elitists and cliquey people who look down on others, because they think that they are the shit/best.

Being quite humble in nature and remembering my quivery first steps as a beginner as well as how difficult it can be to get acknowledged during the early stages of blogging, I can only give my support to the ones who follow our tracks as I know too well how harsh, foreign/strange and vast this virtual world can be when you are a neophyte.

Many thanks, Muna, for oppening the doors to your lovely blog for me!

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I don't know if you have the same uncomfortable feeling as me, but I have the impression that this year is passing extremely speedily and that we are more than ever racing against time without being able to get a grip on the present moment or connect with the now. It is insane and quite confusing...

As incredible and shocking as it might seem, September has already arrived and so has autumn (and by the way, just in case you have already got the creeps, we are dangerously approaching Christmas - only 3 1/2 months to go before the ludicrous craze!). Even if you try lying to yourself, you cannot do anything else than witness that the hot season is over and that the slow decline of nature is taking its toll. As sad as it might sound, we have no other choice than to bid goodbye to the joys of summer and to the delightful and frivolous sensation of lightness it confers for cold, bleakness and gloom are installing themselves nonchalantly. All those changes are real, visible and can be perceived very clearly.

"Those cold nights are back again

Norway morning greet my daily toil

That old familiar smell

Fallen leaves return to our soil..."
- Excerpt taken from the song "September In Norway" by Darkthrone.

The luminosity is progressively getting weaker as the days shorten and faint orange hues are starting to spread like wildfire, yet the light is crispier and clearer than it was a few weeks ago. Although it can still be warm and the temperatures are enjoyably balmy from sunrise-to-sunset, the air is nonetheless fresher during the night and in the morning.

The leaves on the trees are slowly turning, beginning to look a bit burnt and are losing their green pigmentation. Some of them have even scattered across the carpeted grass and are gracing the sides of the roads. Birds are quite silent lately, but one can already hear the mean yammering of magpies and crows in the distance. The mist gently licking the mountainsides and making them look eerily beautiful. The air has that familiar and distinctive clean, soily and firepit smell. Market stalls are once again being refurbished with wild mushrooms, pumpkins, sweetcorn, beetroots, grapes, figs, pears and apples.

Despite the fact all is very exciting, a part of me is sad......If you wish to read the rest of this post, see another set of pictures and discover the recipe for my "Raw Tomato Sauce", then please hop over to Muna's blog. Thank you!

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Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog de ma collègue Muna de "MunatyCooking", je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même jeter un coup d'oeil à son site article car ses recettes sont très alléchantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici - essayez d'utiliser Google Translate pour toutes vos traductions, 4a marche assez bien).J'espère que ce plat sain, léger, savoureux et aux accents italiens vous plaira. Cette version personnalisée de la "Sauce Tomate Crue" traditionnelle est ma façon de rendre hommage à l'été qui a pris fin et de prolonger l'esprit des vacances encore un peu...

~ Sauce Tomate Crue ~
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Septembre 2011.
Pour 4 services.Ingrédients Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
2 Grosses tomates "coeur de boeuf", finement hachées
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée (en option)
1 Petit oignon blanc, finement haché
1 CS de Vinaigre de malte
1 CS de Vinaigre balsamique
2 CC de Worcestershire sauce
1 CC de Sauce de poissonTabasco (rouge), selon goût
3 CS d'Huile d'olive extra vierge (et + pour servir)
3 CS de Basilic frais, finement haché
1 CC de Marjolaine séchée
1 CC d'Origan séché
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, selon goût
Sel de mer fin, selon goût

Méthode Pour La "Sauce Tomate":
1. Mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble.
2. Laisser mariner pendant 20 minutes.
3. Servir.

Remarques:
Bien que l'ajout d'ail rend cette sauce encore plus savoureuse, il vous est possible de ne pas en utiliser, surtout si vous êtes soucieux de votre haleine.

Idées de présentation:
Servir cette sauce avec des spaghettis ou les pâtes de votre choix et saupoudrer avec des copeaux de Pecorino, Parmesan, Grana Padano ou Sbrinz.