There are a few recipes which are really good when home-made. This Bahara Baingan is one such recipe. I tasted this at our friend's house months ago. She was from Andhra and a wonderful cook. She was newly married but her dishes were perfectly made and tasted great, liked made by an experienced cook. Bahara Baingan was one of the dishes in the menu. I had wanted to get the recipe from her, but never got to do because she was busy with her studies (she is doing her Masters in US now) and I didn't want to disturb her. But the taste of that Bahara Baingan lingered in my memory. When I bought brinjals aka baby eggplants on my produce shopping, I decided I was gonna make Bahara Baingan. I googled for the recipe and ended up making a fusion of the recipe here and here.
Ingredients:
Baby Brinjals - 10
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp (adjust based on heat)
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp, heaped
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Spice paste:
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Peanuts (skin removed) - 3 tbsp
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
Method:
Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract about 2 cups of juice. Dry roast the sesame seeds until it pops. Heat about a tsp of oil and fry the peanuts until a nice aroma arises. Grind the roasted sesame seeds, fried peanuts and coconut with water to make a smooth paste. Wash and wipe the brinjals clean. Make 'X' shaped slit at the bottom of each brinjal until about 3/4th of the way up with the stems still intact. Heat 1 tbsp of oil a flat pan. Place the slit brinjals and cook them turning over often. When all the sides are roasted and the brinjal is almost cooked and soft (a knife inserted should pass through easily), remove from heat. In a saucepan heat about 1 tbsp of oil and fry the onions until it turns soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute in medium heat for about a minute. Add the spice powders now with salt and mix well. Now add the ground paste and mix adding a little water. When the paste becomes a little dry, add the tamarind juice and little more water. At this stage the curry will be little watery. Add the roasted brinjals and allow it to come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer until the curry thickens. Serve hot with naan or pulao.
Baby Brinjals - 10
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp (adjust based on heat)
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp, heaped
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Spice paste:
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Peanuts (skin removed) - 3 tbsp
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
Method:
Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract about 2 cups of juice. Dry roast the sesame seeds until it pops. Heat about a tsp of oil and fry the peanuts until a nice aroma arises. Grind the roasted sesame seeds, fried peanuts and coconut with water to make a smooth paste. Wash and wipe the brinjals clean. Make 'X' shaped slit at the bottom of each brinjal until about 3/4th of the way up with the stems still intact. Heat 1 tbsp of oil a flat pan. Place the slit brinjals and cook them turning over often. When all the sides are roasted and the brinjal is almost cooked and soft (a knife inserted should pass through easily), remove from heat. In a saucepan heat about 1 tbsp of oil and fry the onions until it turns soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute in medium heat for about a minute. Add the spice powders now with salt and mix well. Now add the ground paste and mix adding a little water. When the paste becomes a little dry, add the tamarind juice and little more water. At this stage the curry will be little watery. Add the roasted brinjals and allow it to come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer until the curry thickens. Serve hot with naan or pulao.
hmmmmmmm finger licking baingan gravy.
ReplyDeleteSuper rich looking bahara baingan..
ReplyDeleteyummy
ReplyDelete