Bagara baingan is a popular side dish for BIRYANI from the Hyderabadi cuisine. Bagara means tempering. Baingan=eggplant=vangi=vankaya. Bagara Baingan is made from deep-fried eggplant/ baingan. The base curry is made from tamarind, peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds.
Both green and purple eggplants are versatile vegetables that can be used in a wide range of dishes, but some recipes may be better suited to one type of eggplant over the other. For example, green eggplants are often used in stir-fries and other Asian-inspired dishes, while purple eggplants are a common ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. I use green as well as purple eggplants based on their availability.
Ingredients:
- 10 eggplants
- Oil
- 4 Dried red chilies
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 3-4 cloves garlic-finely chopped
- Cilantro
- Curry leaves
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp Hing powder
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- Salt to taste
- Lemon size tamarind ball soaked in water or store-bought tamarind paste
- For the gravy:
- Dry toast and grind the following to coarse paste: I add curry leaves and cilantro while making the paste, but it is optional.
- ¼ cup peanuts
- ¼ cup Sesame seeds
- Dry coconut pieces or frozen grated coconut
- Few methi (fenugreek) seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
Method:
- Wash and dry eggplants. Make four slits with the base intact. The slit should be in such a way that the eggplant is still holding together. Do not cut off the base, this is mainly to keep the eggplant intact.
- Heat oil in a pan and add eggplants to it. Fry on low flame, stirring occasionally until cooked 70%. Keep them aside.
- Use the same pan and oil.
- Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add hing powder.
Using green eggplants:
- Add garlic pieces, ginger paste, dried red chilies, and curry leaves. Saute them.
- Add onion and cook them until golden.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, tamarind pulp, and mix well.
- Add the gravy paste to it.
- Add water to adjust the gravy thickness to your choice (not too thin or too thick)
- Let it cook on low flame.
- Now add eggplants and cook the curry until oil starts separating.
- Turn off the stove.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with biryani. You can eat this curry with Indian flatbread too.
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