Eggplant Bruschetta

Eggplant or Brinjal or Aubergine, is one of those versatile veggies that you are either love or just don't like. It's no surprise that I'm a huge fan and I always try to bring Eggplant into simple dishes. Very few flavours match that of a nicely grilled Eggplant, with perfect roasted skin and soft flesh. So why not just enjoy this simplicity!

Taking the idea of Bruschetta, an Italian entree or side dish, typically made with roasted bread and topped with fresh tomato, basil, onions etc I tried creating the same with Eggplant instead of bread - the result was YUM! Those who love anything Eggplant will definitely love this one!

Here it is, my version of EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA:

Ingredients: One medium sized Eggplant (firm), 1 tomato chopped, one red onion chopped, 1 spoon olive oil, salt to taste, herbs of your choice such as parsley, basil etc.

Make: Chop the Eggplant into thick circles (don't make it too thin as it will flop once grilled). On a griddle pan, grill/roast the circles nicely on each side with a bit of olive oil. Should take about 5 to 8 minutes each side. In a bowl, mix the chopped tomato, onion and all herbs with olive oil. Add chill powder if you like some spice. 

Once the Eggplant circles are well grilled, spoon some mixtures on each slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Mango Cake - Eggless & Dairy free

The onset of sweet Summer means it's time to bask in the sweetness of the king of fruits, Mangoes! It's no surprise that there aren't many folks out there whose eye don't light up when they see any Mango dish or simply the fruit itself. 

So when life gives you Mangoes, make everything with them :) I tried creating a healthy sweet treat using fresh Mangoes and it definitely will become a regular.  With no added sugar or colour and completely dairy free, here is my MANGO CAKE!

Ingredients: Pulp from 2 fresh ripe mangoes, 1 cup wholemeal self raising flour (can also use plain flour with baking soda), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence.

Make: Take the fresh mango pulp and grind into a smooth puree. Mix the flour, oil and mango puree well until you have a smooth batter. Add vanilla essence and mix. If the batter is too thick you can add a spoon of water as required. If the mangoes are ripe and sweet, you will not need any extra sugar for sweetness. 

Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined baking tray and bake in a fan forced oven at 160 deg for about 25 minutes. 

Once cooled, your soft, dense Mango cake will be ready to serve along with a cup of tea.

Enjoy!