Bagara baingan (eggplant masala curry)
Brinjal or aubergine is my family’s favorite vegetable and we all love this recipe very much. It goes well with simple vegetable rice, biryani or roti. The specialty of the dish is the flavor that depends on the blend of tamarind and freshly ground masala. Ingredients like peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut are used to make the gravy taste especially nutty and delicious,
Ingredients
Method
- Dry roast peanuts till brown. Add sesame seeds and fry till they splutter. Switch off the flame and add coconut. Sauté it in the hot pan till the coconut smells good. Cool and blend with little water to make smooth paste. Set aside.
- Slit the egg plants into four sections leaving the stem intact. Heat oil in a pan, brinjals can be deep fried or shallow fried. Fry them in hot oil until the skin looks wilted completely. Set these aside.
- Remove excess oil and just retain a few tsp oil in the pan.
- Add cumin, mustard and when they splutter, add onions, curry leaves and salt. Fry the onions till brown.
- Add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and the blended mixture. Stir and cook on a medium flame.
- Add the tamarind juice and fried brinjals.
- Add half cup of water and cook to bring the gravy to needed consistency.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with biryani or roti.