Borani-e-Bademjan (Eggplants in yogurt dip)

A very delcious dish and a very well known one from the Afghan cuisine!
Easy to make and very rich to eat : )
The rich part is the olive oil mainly : ) The tomato sauce makes is ultra tasty and the climax is the garlic dip yummmmzzzzz!!!!

There may be many different ways to make it but in the end effect it’s egg plant-tomatoes-yogurt in every form: ) but the making art of it differs from person to person .

I have a very nice Afghan neighbors’ who is also a wonderful cook and I have learnt many of her recipes, I always get my share from her : )
The recipe will seem long, but it’s the whole preparing which I’ll try to explain each step easily, as it IS very easy to make.

The only negative thing is really the oil, as egg plants absorb lots of oil, we have to keep adding while frying them :/ and this makes the tummy a bit heavy, I had it till today :/

I didn’t have the green pepper at hand so I didn’t use it but I will mention it in the recipe ok …
So it is recommended to make this just once in 3 months lol…..

 

So here we go :

Preps of the Veg:
1 large eggplant (400gram)
2-3 tomatoes
4-5 green peppers
½ cup olive oil

 *wash and cut 1” thick round of the tomatoes
*wash the egg plant, and cut 1” thick rounds
*wash and cut the pepper in big rounds
*fry the egg plant immediately in the hot oil, as they tend to turn brow in seconds!!!
* keep turning with the help of a fork so they don’t burn from any side
*drizzle oil off and on, as egg plant absorbs a lot!!
* place all fried egg plant pieces in a baking tray
*lay one piece of tomato on each egg plant piece and top with one pepper ring
*bake in a preheated oven on 200°C till the tomatoes seem like grilled
*dish out in a big platter

**In the mean time prepare the tomato sauce and the yogurt dip:

Yogurt dip:
1 cup yogurt
½ tsp dry peppermint
2 crushed garlic bulbs
Salt to taste

**prepare this dip at least half an hour so the garlic reaches to its intensive aroma in the yogurt!

(click on pic for a larger image)

Tomato sauce:

3 tomatoes (cubes)
2 red onions ( fine sliced)
2 garlic bulbs (crushed)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp dry peppermint
½ tsp paprika powder
¼ tsp red chili powder

*Fry the onion in the rest olive oil till soft pinkish
*Add the cubed tomatoes and sauté
*sprinkle all the spices directly in the pan and mix all
* cook the mixture till tomatoes leaves water and form a nice thick sauce, but the chunks are still to be seen!
*season with a bit of Oregano
*Now spoon this sauce on the baked eggplant/tomatoes/pepper
*Then top the whole with the yogurt dip in vertical or horizontal lines : )
*Decorate with chopped fresh coriander and peppermint.
*This is served with any simple polau or a fresh baked Naan.
*Tastes very good even if cold, as we can’t heat it up because of the yogurt topping .
Enjoy the different taste!!!!