Smoky Odo

There is nothing like being able to grow your own produce. Fresh, organic, produce from my backyard is picked and cooked right on the charcoal grill to enjoy delicious rustic food. When the weather starts getting colder, it is fun to sit around the little grill for warmth, and the best part of this food is that my husband likes to do it. So my part in this recipe is giving him directions and clicking pictures while he cooks :) It was indeed fun, and since he was cooking, I wanted to keep the techniques simple and easy.  Our take on this recipe was very rustic...Grow, Cook, Eat! It was literally 'From Farm to Table'. My produce did not even enter the house. :)

Here are few pictures of produce from our backyard.

We had eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper, garlic cloves, green garlic that would be used in the recipe. Onion was store bought. Maybe next season I will have onions growing too.

My husband likes to make tiny slits in the eggplant and stuff each slit with a garlic clove. He stuffs around 5-6 garlic cloves in each eggplant. Below are the pictures of garlic cloves harvested last February. I dried them and have been using them for special preparations. 

Ringna nu Odo or રીંગણાં નુ ઓળો is a Gujarati, Kutchi, or Kathiawadi preparation of eggplant similar to baingan bharta made in North India. Odo with Bajra millet rotla or flat bread is a staple during winters. It is healthy and keeps the body warm. sitting around the fire and cooking also builds family dynamics and and builds community. I would love to have parties and potlucks where I am able to cook and learn new recipes from my friends.

Few Garlic cloves planted around 2 months and Fresh green garlic harvested.

Ingredients (serves 3-4 people)
2 large eggplants
1 large onion
2 large tomatoes or few cherry tomatoes
8-10 garlic cloves
Fresh green garlic
Green chili pepper
Salt 1 tsp.
1 tsp. chili powder

• Prick holes with a fork or make around 4-5 slits and insert a clove of garlic in each slit around each eggplant.
• Apply some oil over the eggplant and roast of hot grill or on stove till it is well cooked and charred. Remove in a container and keep it covered for flavors to infuse well.
• Grill onions, green chili pepper, and tomatoes till cooked. Remove in a container.
• In a mortar and pestle roughly mash garlic, grilled onions,  pepper and tomato.
• Heat oil in a pan and saute onion tomato paste for 3-4 minutes.
• Meanwhile mash grilled eggplants in the mortar and pestle.
• Add mashed eggplants to sauteing onion tomato paste. Mix well.
• Add salt and red chilli powder (optional)
• Mix well. Cook covered for 4-5 minutes.
• Add lime juice and cilantro and serve.
• Sweet and smoky flavor from caramelized veggies! 

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Prick holes with a fork or make around 4-5 slits and insert a clove of garlic in each slit around each eggplant.

Apply some oil over the eggplant and roast of hot grill or on stove till it is well cooked and charred.

Remove in a container and keep it covered for flavors to infuse well.

Grill onions, green chili pepper, and tomatoes till cooked. Remove in a container.

In a mortar and pestle roughly mash garlic, grilled onions,  pepper and tomato.

Heat oil in a pan and saute onion tomato paste for 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile mash grilled eggplants in the mortar and pestle.

Add mashed eggplants to sauteing onion tomato paste. Mix well.

Add salt and red chilli powder (optional)

Sweet and smoky flavor from caramelized veggies! 

Perfect season for Odo!!