Oven-roasted baingan bharta with peas and brown rice

Ingredients

0 of 17 out on the counter

• 2 medium eggplants (about 1¼ lb / 548 g each; 458 g each once peeled)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup frozen peas, no salt added
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups cooked brown rice, for serving

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 450 °F. Line a sheet pan with foil. Prick each eggplant 8 to 10 times with a fork so steam can escape.
2. 2Roast the whole eggplants 45 to 55 minutes, turning them once halfway. They are done when the skins are blackened and wrinkled, the eggplants slump, and a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance. Cool on the pan 15 minutes.
3. 3Split each eggplant open, scoop the soft flesh into a bowl and throw away the skins and stems. Mash with a fork until it is mostly smooth with a few strands. Do not drain it; the juice carries the smoky flavor.
4. 4While the eggplants cool, heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Add the ginger and serrano and stir 1 minute.
5. 5Add the tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes fall apart and the mixture is a thick paste that holds a line when you drag a spoon through it.
6. 6Stir in the peas and the mashed eggplant. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes, stirring often, until it is thick enough to mound on a spoon and the peas are hot through.
7. 7Off the heat, stir in the salt, lemon juice and cilantro. Taste; add a little more lemon before more salt. Spoon over the hot brown rice, a quarter of the bharta and ½ cup (101 g) of rice per bowl.
8. 8Cool leftovers no more than 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90 °F), then refrigerate in a covered container. Keep the bharta and the rice in separate containers. Reheat to 165 °F, stirring, before eating.