Begun Poraa (Bong Style Baingan/Eggplant Bharta)

Today I’ll share with you the easiest recipe of all in this ‘GO GREEN’ series, perhaps easier than tossing up a salad or stuffs like that for yourself in which at least you have got to chop the veggies or fruits that go into your salad. But this one is the fastest  because you just roast the eggplants well on all the sides, peel the burnt skin , mash it and eat, and yes the tangy flavour of raw mustard oil and freshly chopped coriander fill up your senses and being paired with hot fulkas conjure up a brilliant meal for you.

Begun Poraa

This is ‘Bong style Baigan Bharta’ that I’m talking of and my mother’s recipe too. ‘Begun Poraa’ is the Bengali term for it ('Poraa' means burnt in Bengali) as the main element should be the burnt smell and those of you who haven’t tasted Baigan Bharta in this way must make it today to see for yourself.

This is how I made it in just two simple steps and with minimum ingredients…..

Ingredients:
 

·        2 medium sized eggplants/aubergines/brinjals/baingan (take care to buy them soft and light, so that they contain less seeds)

·        2 tsp raw mustard oil

·        A fistful of freshly chopped coriander leaves, feel free to add as much as you like

·        2-3 chopped green chilies

·        ½ tsp sugar

·        Salt as per taste

Begun Poraa

Process:

Step 1:

Wash the eggplants and smear a drop of mustard oil all over the skin so that it comes off easily after roasting. Burn/roast the eggplants on all sides on your gas stove directly on fire. After they are properly roasted on all sides, gently peel off the burnt skin keeping the stalks intact because they are absolutely yum and juicy when you have them.

Begun Poraa

Step 2:
 

Put in the rest of the ingredients, mix and mash the eggplants well until pulpy. Serve with hot fulkas and see the magic……