[Continued] Chapter 1: Food As I Knew It (1982-2008)
Why do we have selective memories?
It’s somewhere between 1986 - 1992. I wish I could remember every moment, but alas, I don’t. I do however, remember the many food gatherings and parties my mother hosted, mostly because she was so damn good at them. She was definitely the socialite of the family! And I recall the menus she put together, the dishes everyone raved about and were repeated for most get togethers, and oh…her table settings. Not your usual sit-down table, because in those days in India, men and women usually ate at separate times (men first of course!). And the easiest way to enable this was to put the food out as a buffet. Her buffet came complete with vegetable ornaments, dressed dishes, fancy napkins and flowers. I sometimes laugh when I think back now, because surely the men who hit the food first didn’t notice most of it!
She was a stay-at home mum all her life, but had spent much time with courses such as flower decoration, vegetable carving, painting and baking. She was an artist at heart. I sometimes helped her with flowers cut from vegetables (radish and cucumber roses were my favourite), and loved dunking them in iced water so they would “bloom” and stay fresh ahead of the party. Little did I know back then that these tasks were slowly embedding themselves in my mind, as the foundation to good plating and hosting.
While she got dressed to showcase her hard work to the guests, I hovered over the table, peek inside lids and covers, and work up my appetite. There was always a chicken dish, and a fancy salad or raita (yogurt dip) and several vegetables. But the smell I miss most, the one I adored, was the burnt smoky smell of a good ‘baingan bharta’.
Baingan bharta or smoked curried Aubergine/Eggplant (called Brinjal in India) was not an everyday dish in our home. Mainly, as it takes a few steps to prepare. It has to be smoked on an open flame till the skin falls off. Then cooled, mashed, and slow cooked with indian spices for a deep earthen and spicy-smoky flavour. It needs patience [and a good scrub of the stove after!]. So she saved these for ‘special occasions’. I can still hear her coy giggles when everyone complimented the food.
I miss those days…
People say you cook to feed. I say you cook to feel. Years later, while living in Hong Kong, I dug up that smoked memory and started experimenting with this dish just to be transported back to those simpler times. And my now mature tastebuds surprisingly found the flavours to be quite versatile - going beyond the regular Indian rice and bread pairing.
This recipe is a re-incarnation of those happy days and my mum’s dinner tables, albeit in a new form. I have taken inspiration from my days in Asia, and paired the baingan bharta with wonton wrappers for a little crunch. However, you can most definitely enjoy it traditionally with rice or flatbread as well. It also tastes delicious on toasted bread.
Ingredients
1 large aubergine
1/2 onion, diced
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 green chili, slit lengthwise
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
5-6 wonton wrappers (store bought)
3-4 tbsp sour cream to serve
3 tbsp light olive oil + more for frying the wrappers
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander to garnish
Method
Fry the wonton wrappers and keep aside.
Cook the aubergine on an open flame, turning it every few seconds, till it collapses, the skin chars, starts to fall off, and you see the juices being released and drip all over your clean stove top. As you keep turning it, it should take 8-10 minutes for all sides to be cooked through. Keep aside in a bowl to cool.
Once cooled, peel off and remove the burnt skin and mash the remaining aubergine with a fork.
Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add cumin seeds and cook for a quick minute. Add ginger, garlic and green chili. Add the chopped onions, a little salt, and cook till they turn translucent. Now add tomatoes, and all the dry spices and mix well.
Cover and cook on medium flame till the tomatoes are cooked through, and oil begins to separate from the sides. Now stir in the mashed aubergine.
Cover and cook for a few minutes for the flavours to merge (remember the aubergine is already cooked so doesn’t need much time). Remove cover, turn flame to high, and saute till any excess liquid is dried off. I always saute a bit extra as I love my dishes as braised possible. Adjust seasoning, and turn off the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander.
When ready to serve, layer the wonton wrappers with a little aubergine, and top with a dollop of sour cream. Forget the cutlery and devour this with your bare hands. I promise it will not disappoint!
