Onion tomato chutney is very easy to make. In this recipe, onion, tomato, red chillies and garlic are saute well with oil and finally tempering with oil, mustard and  urad dal. This chutney has got sweet, tangy and spicy taste because of roasted onions, tomato and red chillies. It goes well with idly or dosa or paniyaram or even use it as spread in sandwich.

    Ingredients

    To Saute

          1 Large Red Onion
          1 Large Tomato
          3 Small Garlic Cloves
          2 Red Chillies
          2 Tsp of Oil
          Salt to taste

    To Temper

           2 Tsp of Gingelly oil
           1/2 Tsp of Mustard
           1/2 Tsp of Urad Dal
           Pinch of Asafoetida
           Few Curry Leaves

    Method

         Wash and roughly chop the onion and tomato.

    Sauteing

• Heat oil in a pan, add red chillies, saute for 1-2 mins until it turns dark black.
• Add garlic cloves, saute for a min (Don’t burn it)
• Add onion, saute for 1-2 mins until it turns golden brown color.
• Add tomato, saute for 1-2 mins by adding salt. Once it done,switch off the stove. Let the mixture cool down for 5 mins.
• In a blender, add onion-tomato mixture, blend until it turns to smooth paste.
• Transfer it to a bowl.

  Tempering

• Heat a pan with oil, add mustard and urad dal, after it splutters, add asafoetida and curry leaves, switch off the stove.
• Transfer this tempering items to a bowl containing chutney (onion-tomato puree) 
• Onion tomato chutney is ready to serve.

    Tips

• Serve this spicy and tangy chutney for idly or dosa or paniyaram
• You can add green chilly for extra spicy taste.
• You can add coconut to this recipe.

     Health Benefits of  onion and tomato

• Onion are good source of vitamin C, B6, biotin, folic acid and dietary fiber.
• It contains large amount of sulfur, are especially good for liver.
• Good source of quercitin, a potent antioxidant.
• Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A, C and anti-oxidant.
• Tomato juice are very good for eyes, hair and skin. 

             Baingan Bhartha is one of the North Indian recipe. Baingan means Eggplant, Bharta means anything that is mashed. Eggplant is grilled over direct fire or charcoal and the dish is infused with smoky flavor. You can also do them in outdoor grill or in oven. Broiling gives a good smoky flavor. Serve this dish with chapathi or Paratha.

      Ingredients

            1 Long Eggplant
            1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp of  Chopped Onion
            1 Green Chilly
            2 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
            1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
            1/2 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
            1 Tsp of Ginger Onion Garlic Paste 
            1/2 Tsp of Cumin Seeds
            1/2 Tsp of Cumin Powder
            Salt to taste 
            2- 3 Tsp of Oil/ ghee
            2 Tbsp of Chopped Cilantro/ Coriander Leaves

      Method

      Roasting the Eggplant

     Grease the eggplant with little oil, make slits all over the surface. You can do roasting in 2 ways

      In Stove : One is by placing the eggplant straight on the burner, allowing the skin to get charred and blackened on all sides. Inside will be soft and mushy.

      In Oven : Place it in oven in broil mode – high for 10 -12 mins, until eggplant skin turns charred and imparts smoky flavor. Once it done, remove it from the oven. Discard the skin and now scrap the inner flesh from each half, scraping right down to the charred skin and mash it and keep this aside.By seeing below pics, you can understand ” how to remove inner flush from eggplant”.

     Cooking the Bharta

• Heat a pan with oil/ ghee, when it is hot , add cumin seeds, after they sizzle, add chopped onion, chopped green chilly and salt, saute it for 2 mins until onion are soft and transluent.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and cumin powder, saute this for a min. 
• Add ginger onion garlic paste to it, fry this for another 1 min.
• Add tomato puree,  cook until oil seperates from masala.

• Add mashed brinjal / eggplant to the masala, cook until eggplant are well combined with the masala. Once it done. Switch off the flame.

• Finally garnish it with cilantro / coriander.
• Serve with naan / paratha / chapathi.

   
   Tips

• Serve with Indian flatbread/ naan / chapathi
• You can add garam masala, if you want. I didn’t add because it masks the smoky flavor of the eggplant.
• You can also do the same recipe without onion and garlic, instead add ginger.
• Adding butter/ ghee gives a nice flavor to this dish.       

   Health Benefits of Eggplant

• Eggplants provide 2 g of fiber per cup. Fiber helps with digestion and colon health.
• Eggplants also are high in a chlorogenic acid, a powerful antioxidant offering antimicrobial and antiviral activities along with the ability to help lower bad cholesterol levels.