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Baigan choka
Baigan choka: fire-roasted aubergine mash with garlic and hot oil
In south Trinidad, from Penal to Siparia, baigan choka is the breakfast or dinner you make when there is an aubergine, a fire and some sada roti on the tawa. The skin is charred right over the flame until the flesh inside collapses, smoky and silky, then it is mashed with raw garlic and hot pepper and "chunkayed" with a spoonful of sizzling oil. The usual mistake is pulling the aubergine off the flame too early; any firm part in the middle tastes raw and spongy. Eat it with roti or rice and dhal. Chef's tip: push slivers of garlic into slits in the aubergine before roasting, then mash them in; you get mellow roasted garlic and a sharp raw note together.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 large auberginesabout 700 g
- 5 cloves garlic2 slivered, 3 finely grated
- 0.5 small onionvery finely chopped
- ½ scotch bonnet pepperseeded and minced (or to taste)
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oilor mustard oil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cut 6 small slits in each of 2 large aubergines and push in the slivers of 2 cloves garlic.
Step 2: Roast the aubergines directly over a gas flame or on a very hot grill, turning with tongs every few minutes, until the skin is black and blistered all over and the aubergine slumps completely when pressed with tongs.
18 minStep 3: Rest them in a bowl for 5 minutes, then split and scrape the flesh away from the burnt skin. Leave a few dark flecks but no hard pieces of skin.
5 minStep 4: Mash the flesh with a fork together with the rest of 3 cloves garlic, 0.5 small onion, ½ scotch bonnet pepper and ¾ tsp salt.
Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan until it is just smoking, then pour it over the mash: it should hiss and sizzle. Stir it through and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does baigan choka take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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