Baigan Choka (Roasted Eggplant (Aubergine) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
4 garlic cloves
1 medium tomatoes (seeded and cut into 6 wedges)
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper (minced) (optional)

Preparation

Wash eggplant and make slits in it with a knife.
Peel garlic cloves and stick into the slits made in the eggplant.
Insert tomato wedges into the slits.
Rub the eggplant with a teaspoon of oil.
Roast over an open flame (for example, a gas cooker) until soft. Do not grill because the taste will not be the same. The open flame imparts a smokey flavour which gives this dish it's signature flavour.
To make roasting more manageable. I usually cut the eggplant in half making sure that the garlic is wedged deep inside so that it doesn't fall out. I use a long cooking fork to turn the melongene and make sure it roasts evenly on all sides.
When eggplant is soft, slit the charred skin lengthways with a knife and scrape out the soft somewhat stringy pulp. Discard skin.
Mash the pulp, tomato,and roasted garlic in a bowl with a fork or pop it into your blender if you want a nice smooth texture.
Add 1 tsp oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook 1/4 cup onion until fragrant but not translucent. (You want them to still have some crunch to them but not quite the sharp raw onion taste.) This is a personal preference some people prefer the raw onions.
Add the barely cooked finely chopped onion, salt to taste, and scotch bonnet pepper to the eggplant pulp.
Typically enjoyed as a side with curried meats and rice or in Sada Roti (Indian flatbread ).