When my father started frequenting the US of A for business, he also began trying out cuisines other than the regular Indian. Of course, this was also the time I had begun trying to cook different cuisines at home. It was much to my family's displeasure that there was so much more of my experimental food on the table than our regular food. At some point, my mother started telling me to make 'normal food'..often with a generous dash of 'please'. Now I have improved, though.
On one of his trips, my father tasted this baked dish which had eggplant and some tomato sauce. He loved it so much that when he came back home, he said we absolutely must try it. From the very first attempt, Eggplant Parmesan became our family's favorite fancy dinner.
Now, this is a particularly easy dish to make, with only 3 components : fried eggplants, tomato sauce and cheese (as the name suggests, parmesan. But regular processed cheese is also absolutely fine. In fact, better.)
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
8 - 10 medium tomatoes
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup flour (maida)
1 onion chopped
5-6 garlic pods chopped
Breadcrumbs
Dried herbs of your choice
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Cheese - as per your level of gluttony
Method:
Fried eggplants:
1. Start by slicing up roundels of the eggplant. Make sure they're neither too thick nor too thin. Too thick, they'll become soggy; too thin, they'll crisp up. Salt the roundels and leave for a good 10 minutes.
2. Make a thin batter by mixing milk, flour and salt. Add any herbs of your choice. Also, prep your breadcrumbs by adding some salt and herbs, however you like it.
3. Pat dry the eggplants with a kitchen towel to make sure the excess moisture is out. Don't squeeze the eggplants, only pat or press gently.
4. Take each roundel and dip in the batter. Coat with breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown. Keep aside.
Note: You might already be thinking of healthier options of baking or pan-frying or grilling. Stop thinking right now. I have tried all those and have come to understand that you can't make this dish without frying the eggplants in a generous amount of oil. This is a great dish, please don't ruin it by making it healthy!
Tomato Sauce:
1. Dice tomatoes roughly and put them in a blender. Blend until you see a rough paste.
2. Now, heat some oil in a saucepan. Once the oil is slightly hot, add the garlic and onions. Let them get a gentle brown colour on them. Then, add herbs of your choice. Wait a good 10 seconds and add the tomato paste.
3. Stir a bit to make sure the sauce is mixed well enough to take in the flavours of the onions, garlic and herbs. Add some salt to taste. I like adding some chilli powder at this stage. Add just 2-3 pinches of sugar and stir. Let this simmer with a closed lid for 8-10 minutes.
The raw smell of the tomatoes should vanish and the sauce should have come down slightly by volume. Your sauce is now ready.
Assembling:
1. Take an oven proof dish. Preferably, take one that is not too wide. That will reduce the number of layers of the dish which is not what we're looking for.
2. Start by putting a thin layer of tomato sauce on the dish. Then assemble a layer of the fried eggplant. Throw in some grated cheese. Repeat the layering till you run out of your components. Add a final layer of cheese and bake for 6-7 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees.
3. Control your urge to take out the dish before it is done.
4. Serve with some bread and pasta. And thank me when your stomach and soul feel content!
PS: Please pardon me for my poor photography skills. I am working on it. Till then, please put up with the pictures I put up. Thanks in advance!
