Begin the baingun

This was not a good summer for tomatoes. Mine barely ripened. But eggplant had a grand time in the garden. I’m still getting a good number of purple fruits from my three little plants. I’ve had success with white eggplants in the past, as well as long, thin Asian eggplants.

So I’ve been making a lot of baingun bharta (eggplant curry) these days. I discovered it at Kathmandu Kitchen (1728 Broadway), where they serve the roasted eggplants mashed with lots of ginger and caramelized onions. It’s heaven on a naan.

I’ve also tried the version at Bombay Bar & Grill (1315 21st Street), where they add peas and carrots for color. But it’s a snap to make at home. Just roast some eggplants until soft, scrape out the flesh, and mix it with sweet onions, garlic, ginger, cumin and minced chiles. A drizzle of oil or ghee and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro makes it even better.