Recipe
1 large, firm Eggplant
2 medium Ripe Tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, freshly grated
1 habanero pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1/4 tsp. for oiling the eggplant
Directions
Wash and dry the eggplant. Take a knife and make 1 inch slits all over it. Rub the skin of the eggplant with 1/4 teaspoon of oil.
Place the oiled eggplant and the tomatoes on an outdoor grill on high heat. If you do not have an outdoor grill, place a piece of tin foil around the largest burner of your gas stove, then place a wire wrack on top and place the eggplant, tomatoes and the habanero on top of it to roast over the flame. The tin foil is to help with clean up.
If you do not have any of these options then place the eggplant, tomatoes and the habanero on a baking sheet and place in the oven on 400 degrees to roast.
Roast the eggplant until the skin on the outside is charred and when you touch it, it is very soft. The perfect way is to roast the eggplant over a flame to get that smoky, charred flavor.
Once the skin of the tomatoes is lightly charred and starts to juice, remove it from the heat.
The habanero only needs to be charred on the outside as well.
The eggplant will take the longest to roast.
Once everything is roasted remove from the flame and set on a baking sheet. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
To get the creamy, insides of the eggplant, using a knife make a slit down the middle of the eggplant. Pull the two sides apart, to just open it and using a spoon, scoop out the insides and place in a bowl.
Try to not get the skin into the bowl. Using your fingers, pull the skin of the tomatoes off and place the peeled tomatoes in the same bowl as the Eggplant. Add in the whole roasted habanero, salt and butter.
Using a potato masher or something with a flat bottom to mash everything together, mash until creamy and there are no lumps.
Heat a skillet on the stove on medium heat, add the oil and sliced onions.
Cook the onions stirring regular to prevent burning until it is soft and just starting to turn brown. Add in the grated garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add in the pureed mixture to the skillet.
You should hear a sizzle sound when you add the puree to the hot oil. Mix everything together and allow to heat through.
Remove from the heat and enjoy with hot Paratha Roti and sliced avocadoes.
***Notes
For the traditional Bygan choka, omit the tomatoes and the butter, stick the cloves of the garlic into the slits so it cooks inside the eggplant, while it is roasting. And usually you do not cook the onions. I don’t like raw onions so I cook mine.
Adding a dab of butter brings out the creaminess of the eggplant.
When choosing the perfect eggplant for roasting, be sure it is firm to touch, has a dark purple color. If you look at the top of the Eggplant where the stem is, if it is just starting to turn light color then that is too old. That means the eggplant on the inside will have a lot of seed and therefore when you roast it, it will not be creamy on the inside.
