Book Cover and Smoked Eggplant
Hi everyone!It's good to be back again. Was I really gone? Um, not really; I just served an ultimatum to Cesar that I would be on a posting hiatus until he posted something here. It worked, eh? Just joking Cesar; don't glare at me. :P
To tell you the truth; this self-imposed staying-away wasn't easy. Fellow food bloggers, I have missed you all and your soul-tempting recipes. Now that I am back, be sure to find me find my trail in your blogs.
Yes, I did get a recipe for you all, but first something non-foodie. Please take a look at the cover for my debut book, Making Out in America, slated for release later this year.
My brother did the cover art for the book, so if you have any appreciation or criticism, do let me know. I will pass it on to him.
And now for the foodie stuff. Eggplant/brinjal lovers, get your pen and notepad ready. Here's an interesting version of Baingan Bharta or smoked and mashed eggplant. There is a Bengali touch in this version, and that comes by the way of poppy seed or posto paste. The end result is very similar to the usual bharta, yet, I found this simpler to cook. Let's get cooking then, shall we?
Begun Posto (Smoked Eggplant in Poppy Seeds Paste)
Ingredients:Eggplant: 1 (round)
Dry red chilies: 2
Poppy seeds (ground into a paste): 2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Garlic (minced): 1 tablespoon
Green chilie (slit lengthwise): 1
Turmeric: A pinch
Water: 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking
Method:
1. Wash the eggplant. Smoke and roast it.
2. Remove eggplant from fire. Cool, mash and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok. Add the red chilies and fry for a minute or so.
4. Add the fenugreek seeds, garlic, and green chilie and stir until the garlic turns brown. Take care not to burn the garlic.
5. Add turmeric and water. Bring to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and add the mashed eggplant.
7. Add the poppy seeds paste and salt. Mix well and stir.
8. Cover and cook eggplant for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent eggplant from sticking.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Serve hot.
Like the conventional bharta, this variation is best accompanied by hot paranthas or chapatis. And it's a recipe not likely to leave anyone disappointed. So do try it, and let me know how you liked it!
Sury
posted by Sury at
7:25 PM
23 comment(s):
Sury, Welcome back :). I am so happy to see you.
Your book cover looks so lovely. I would love to read it.
Your bharta looks delicious. Its on my to-do list now :).
By
Anonymous, at
2:40 AM
nice cover Sury, and a nice recipe too.
By
Anonymous, at
2:48 AM
Hi sury,
Actually,I changed my webaddress.You brought old memories.You are doing my mama's method.You know that gas flame here in USA are quite high.So I have turned to microwave method.Sill your looks yummy.
Here in USA,we get many varieties of eggplantor brinjal.I tell you one thing winter muli(radish) winter cabbage, and delhi reddish carrot are the best vegetables in taste.
Next time,you have to let me say making of India's food fromAmerican designed kitchen.Since this is food blog.
Full marks for your recipe if you add coriander sprigs
By
Anonymous, at
8:05 AM
wow,so special meal.
I'm hungry.
By
Anonymous, at
10:38 PM
Shilpa, thanks a lot. It's good to be back again. Glad you liked the cover and the bharta :)
Lakshmi, thanks for the kind words :)
Ramya, thanks for the lovely comment. Yes, I would be eager to see your versions of Indian cooking in American designed kitchens. Please share! Oh, and the coriander sprigs garnish sounds great. I will remember the next time :)
Aww, thanks, Skiivis. That's a nice compliment :)
By
Anonymous, at
9:41 AM
I received these two comments in my inbox, but blogger won't let me publish them. I guess the posters forgot to type their website address or something.
Delicious looking!Yummy! (From Sumitha of Kitchen Wonders)
And
Sury welcome girl. The cover looks fabulous and from what you have told us earlier about the book, extremely apt. I love posto. (The poster forgot to type thier name).
Thank you, both! Sumitha, I love your blog. Will add yours to our links soon. Thanks for dropping by :)
By
Anonymous, at
9:49 AM
Wow! i love baigan..and love bengali khana! thanks for this recipe!
By
Anonymous, at
8:39 AM
Welcome back,Sury! Your brother is talented I must say. Good work!
Bharta is one of my fav ways of cooking up egg plants..:)
By
Anonymous, at
9:16 PM
Thanks, Lavanya. Do try it in your kitchen, and let me know how it turns out :)
Sailu, many thanks! I will pass on your compliment to my brother.
I hope you can try out the poppy-seeds version of bharta soon :)
By
Anonymous, at
12:00 AM
hey sury, congrats! now i'm dying to read the book.
By
Anonymous, at
2:25 PM
That is so awesome. Can't wait for the release. I wish you all the best and hope that the books succeeds like crazy.
By
Anonymous, at
7:06 PM
Thanks, Rums. Let's hope the release happens soon :)
Many thanks, Gini. I really appreciate the good wishes :)
By
Anonymous, at
7:11 PM
Missed your posts. I love any dish with roasted eggplant. I have never tried this one.
Book cover looks good.
By
Anonymous, at
7:52 PM
Happy to see Casar posting again. I did miss his posts.:)
Your brother seem to have an affection for nether-region of body. :), butt, bum etc.; How could anyone makeout without those essential parts, right? :)
Wonderful and appropriate cover to your book. Very colorful too. Love it! Talent runs in your family, it seems.
Congratulations Sury and best wishes!
By
Anonymous, at
8:20 PM
Thanks, Krithika. Glad you liked both the dish and the cover. I will link to your great blog soon.
Indira, Cesar was joyous to see your comment. Thanks, too, for all the kind words on my brother's work.
The words you see on top of the flame feature in my book. And it came as a surprise to me that the terms you refer to, "bumfuzzled" and "scuttlebutt" have nothing to do with bum or butt. LOL
'Can trust Americans to be innovative with language for sure ;)
By
Anonymous, at
9:21 PM
Isn't that awesome!! Your own book! And the cover art totally rocks - SoL, @ all this are very smart !!
And the dish - that sounds exceptional too !! Good one.
Can I get an autographed copy from the author plzzzzzzzz :D
By
Anonymous, at
9:09 PM
Hey! your name is bhaswati.it's so nice than your nickname Sury.
You are looking so cute in non foodie blog.Advance wishes for your blog anniversary.
By
Anonymous, at
6:39 AM
Aww, thanks, Mythili. Your kind words really warmed my heart :)
So you discovered, Ramya. LOL. Thanks for the kind words (*blushes*). And hey, thank you so much for the anniversary wishes!
By
Anonymous, at
9:54 AM
Sury,
Congratulations on your book ! The cover looks great. Will the book be available in US too ? I look forward to it...."I dont stroke" he he he no wonder the Americans were in splits :).
-Sonali
By
Anonymous, at
1:37 AM
Thanks for the nice words on the cover, Sonali. Glad you liked it.
The book is being published in the U.S. So it will be released there only. I will keep you all posted about it :)
Yeah, now you know my plight in figuring out American-speak, don't you? :P
By
Anonymous, at
10:59 AM
hey sury The cover page and illustration art work looks great....your brother deserves a pat on the back..:) However, my earlier comment for this post hadn't shown up....for some reason...so, thought of leaving my comment once again for your outstanding literary work .
By
Anonymous, at
8:42 AM
I am so sorry about the earlier comment, Lera. I never got in my inbox :(
Thanks for taking the time to post again, though :) I really appreciate your kind words on the cover. My brother will be delighted to see all these compliments!
Best to you :)
By
Anonymous, at
9:32 AM
Hello
Eggplants are my my fav veggie. This smoked eggplants looks amazing. The most interesting part is the poppy seeds paste which wld give a rich taste to it. Can I add some cshew nuts too in the paste?
Btw is there a microwave method to smoke the eggplants?
here is a Microwave method of stuffed brinjal for you:
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/2152-post1.html
By
Anonymous, at
10:49 AM
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