Begun Bhaja

If there is one vegetable that most of us would have abhorred as a kid should have been brinjal / aubergine / egg plant. Oh yes, the hatred we had for bitter guard was at a different level. Surprisingly, I have developed a 'liking' for egg plants more recently and have started experimenting with this gorgeous purple beauty through south/north Indian and continental cuisines. It's interesting how this vegetable can taste differently as per each region's way of cooking and the added ingredients.  Here is an easy recipe of Begun Bhaja, a dry Bengali delicacy.  This crispy yet soft dish goes well with dal and rice or rotis.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant
1 tsp rice flour
1 tsp gram flour
1 tbsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt 
Mustard oil

Method
Cut the eggplant to thin slices, marinate them with a mixture of the flours,spices and salt for 15-20 minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan with mustard oil,add the marinated eggplant slices and cook both the sides on low flame for 12-15 minutes.
As mentioned, serve them hot with rice or rotis and dal.

Nutella Cinnamon Rolls

I had pinterest-ed this recipe of Nutella Cinnamon Rolls way long back and finally had my first encounter with baking bread. Was I sceptical? Yes, Yes, Yes! The recipe did look a bit complicated but as I went by baking, it was rather easier and the result didn't make me feel like a first time bread baker. The ingredients are easy to find and the process is quite interesting and I enjoyed it as it was a welcome change from that of baking a cake or a pie. The recipe is adapted from A beautiful mess' blog and it goes as below,

Ingredients

3 tablespoons warm water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup milk (I used whole, but any kind is fine)

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup flour

1 cup Nutella

3-4 teaspoons cinnamon

Method

In a bowl, stir warm water and sugar and to this, stir in the yeast and let it activate for about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in another vessel by adding milk.

To make the roll dough, combine the yeast and butter mixture with all purpose flour and knead well till the dough is well combined and shaped. Make a ball and cover it in an oiled vessel for 45 – 60 minutes.

Roll the dough to a large rectangle on the kitchen top. Once the shape is set, spread Nutella generously on it, following with sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now cut the dough to 5-6 columns, roll each and place them in a buttered tin together. Before you place it in the oven, cover and keep the tin aside for 30 minutes.

In a pre-heated oven, bake for 20-25 minutes at 190 degree c.

Once set, switch off and cool the Nutella cinnamon rolls on a rack before you pull each roll apart.