Readymade Indian - Baghara Baingan by Deep

I have never had a homemade version of this dish.

However, this product seems to be well made. I used the oven warming instructions. It warmed evenly. It has a full, flavorful taste. It is not hot spicy immediately, it kind of builds. If you eat mildly spicy, like I do, the hotness will build on you. Else, if you eat hot and spicy, this may be mild. I ate one helping (there are about 1.5 helpings) of this with rice, then a second helping of rice with plain yogurt.

I really like how it has small eggplant pieces in the gravy. I prefer the pieces to the pureed eggplant. I know the pureed one is called Bhaighan Bharatha. Does Baghara mean whole pieces of Baingan (eggplant)?

Price is 4.79$ at our local India Market. Seems a bit high, but the taste is quite nice for a ready made convenience food, I can justify the price. I rarely make eggplant dishes at home because hubby doesn't like eggplant, so to make for one person, and the time involved, I will buy this readymade version again sometime.

Anyone else tried this or any other brand of this? What did you think? Any comparisons to homemade versions?

Thanks for reading!

Easy Salsa Recipe- With a Twist

Easy Salsa Recipe- With a Twist
This is a chunky salsa good for dipping chips or adding as a topping to dish of your creative desire.

¼ cup finely diced onions
¾ cup diced, juicy tomatoes
¼ cup diced red bell peppers (capsicum)
3 tablespoons diced fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
1/4 cup cooked corn kernels
Dash salt
Lemon juice
Optional Green Chilies or Jalapeno peppers as per taste (finely sliced/diced)

Method:
EASY! Chop all ingredients and put in a bowl and mix nicely. Add only a dash of salt to bring out the juices in the vegetables. Add lemon juice as per your taste for tanginess. I used about 1 tablespoon.
Let this set for about 5-10 minutes before eating to allow tastes to blend. The fresher the vegetables the better the final product tastes (and smells!).

Corn is purely optional and the 'twist' I added for an extra layer of texture. Some people like to roast the corn then put it in to give another layer of taste. I did not roast the corn.

**This dish is eaten raw. The only item in this dish that is cooked is the corn- but that is separately done. This dish is best eaten cold or slightly cooler than room temperature.

**For my desi friends, I have tagged this post with the term 'chutney', I think salsa is the 'Mexican chutney'! It is a great relish or dip.

***********************************************************************************

A friend shares:
"For a different twist on the same recipe you can also cook the above ingredients for about 5 minutes on the stove top. Mix in a blender for a cooked salsa. Also good with carrots, jicama, and /or cabbage. I often throw in what is around in the fridge."