Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Crockpot Baigan Bhartha

I realized that I never followed up last week on one of my favorite crockpot dinners. I adore Indian food (as you can see by my choice of last dinner) but it takes so long to cook it right, that I started experimenting with putting it all in a crockpot. I think I finally have a close approximation to baigan bhartha, that's fabulous on grey days. Last time I also threw in 2 bell peppers that I had in my crisper, you could also add in zucchini or squash, but just eggplant is also heavenly. I typically do veggie chopping the night before, then the morning of, pop the insert in the cooker and add whole spices. Ground spices are best when added in the last hour or so of cooking. Also, I strongly dislike adding fresh garlic, as it tastes bitter after stewing all day.

1 lrg or 2 med eggplants, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

Layer all veggies in crockpot, then pour tomatoes over everything. Add...
1 tbsp whole cumin
1 tsp whole mustard seed
1 tsp fennugreek seeds
2 tbsp butter

Cook on low for 8-9 hours. Then add...
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
salt to taste

Adjust heat to high and cook for 30 more minutes. That's the perfect time to cook some rice, or take the dog for a quick walk before heating some naan. Makes 4-6 servings.

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