Borani Bonjaan

(Eggplant with Yogurt)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 

  • 2 X large eggplant (aubergine), cut crosswise in 1.5cm (~1/2 inch) slices

  • 2-3 X cans whole peeled or crushed tomatoes (2-3 x 400g / 14 ounces) (If using whole peeled tomatoes pour contents of can into a bowl and crush tomatoes with hands under liquid to avoid tomato spray)

  • 2 X medium onions, thinly sliced in half moon

  • 2-3 X garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 C vegetable oil for brushing eggplant slices and making sauce (preferably rape seed / canola)

  • 4 C yogurt sauce (see below)

  • Salt (kosher)

  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes

  • 1 T turmeric (ground)

  • 1/2 T paprika

  • 1.5 X vegetable or chicken bouillon cube (preferably Knorr)

Preparation:

Eggplant (aubergine) [Note: this step can be done hours or even a day before]

  1. Lay eggplant slices down on cuttings boards and/or oven grills around kitchen.

  2. Poke each side of eggplant slices 4-5 times and score with fork.

  3. Salt the tops of all eggplant slices with fine or freshly ground salt.

  4. Leave for at least 45-60m to allow eggplant to sweat out water. 

  5. Preheat oven to 320 F (160 C)

  6. After sufficient water has sweated out of eggplant slices dab them dry with paper towel or clean tea towel.

  7. Once dabbed dry brush both sides of eggplants slices with vegetable oil.

  8. Layer on oven racks, and put racks in oven for 30 minutes until eggplant is sufficiently baked (softened and withered, not browning)

  9. Remove eggplant slices from oven and set aside.

Tomato Sauce:

  1. While eggplan is roasting in the oven prepare sauce.

  2. Pour 2 T of oil in sufficiently large saute pan, saute onions on medium-high heat, salting sufficiently. Add garlic and continue to cook until onions become translucent and start to brown.

  3. Add tomatoes and mix into onions and garlic. 

  4. Crumble in bouillon cube, add turmeric, red pepper, and 1-1.5 cups of water.

  5. Allow sauce to cook down to desired thickness (Note: Don’t want sauce to be too thick because it will cook again the oven with the squash).

Yogurt Sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 4 C yogurt (full or medium fat)

  • 2-3 X cloves garlic (finely diced)

  • 2 T mint (dry)

  • Salt (to taste)

Preparation:

  1. Mix yogurt, mint, garlic, and ½ T salt in bowl using fork or whisk

  2. Set aside for assembly or put in refrigerator if serving later. 

Assembly:

  1. In a sufficiently large baking pan layer sauce and eggplant like a lasagna, first sauce then eggplant, ensuring not to use too much sauce in any particular layer (2-3 ladles of sauce per layer). Continue until eggplant and sauce used up, top layer being sauce.

  2. Cover baking pan with aluminum foil or cover and place in oven (still at 160 C / 320 F) for approximately 30m.

  3. Cover a large service dish with layer the yogurt sauce (approximately 1.5 C). 

  4. Once eggplant and sauce are ready, take out of oven and allow to cool for 5-10m. Use large spoon to scoop eggplant and sauce onto serving dish, maintaining the eggplant and sauce layering while covering most of yogurt. [NOTE: Can keep crown of yogurt exposed around edge of serving tray]

  5. Drizzle 1.5 C of yogurt sauce onto eggplant using ladle. Keep the remaining yogurt sauce in a separate bowl for people to serve themselves as desired. 

  6. Sprinkle with some paprika and mint, then serve.

  7. Enjoy!