Achari Baingan Recipe | Spicy Brinjal with Pickle spices

Achari Baingan recipe with step by step photos.Brinjal is one of my favorite vegetables and I love to eat it mostly in the form of stuffed varieties.I have already posted many stuffed Brinjal curries like Stuffed Brinjals with fresh Coconut,Stuffed Brinjal with Onion and Bagara Baingan.Today I am posting a quick and easy Achari baingan recipe where brinjal is cooked in the pickle spices and mustard oil which imparts a nice achari flavor to the curry.I have tried various versions like the gravy kind, with and without onion and I liked this version the best.It is very simple and quick which does not include any grinding or chopping apart from the brinjals.

I highly recommend to use Indian baby brinjals or Indian long brinjals for this recipe but not chinese eggplants or aurbergines(bharta wala brinjal.Also try not to skip any of the spices or mustard oil in the recipe as that gives the typical achari flavor to the curry,I have even added carom seeds but it is entirely optional.You can even coarsely grind the spices and add to the oil instead of the whole spices.

Check out other brinjal recipes in my blog:

• Bagara Baingan
• Begun Bhaja | Bengali style Brinjal fry
• Brinjal-Soya Chunks Curry
• Brinjal Stir fry-with Curry powder
• Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi | Roasted Brinjal Chutney
• Rava Vangibath
• Vangi Poha | Eggplant Poha
• Vangibath/Eggplant Rice-Karnataka Style
• Vankaya Kobbari Karam | Stuffed Brinjals with fresh Coconut
• Vankaya Kothimeera Karam | Aromatic Brinjal Curry with Coriander
• Vankaya Ullipaya Karam/Stuffed Brinjal with Onion

Here is how to make achari baingan recipe with step by step photos.

Achari Baingan Recipe:

Serves 2 | Recipe source:here

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: North Indian | Category: Side dish

Ingredients:

6-8 small round Brinjals or 2 long Brinjals

a sprig of Curry leaves

2 tbsp Coriander leaves,chopped

1.5 tsp grated Ginger

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Amchur powder

1 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

a pinch of Asafoetida

1/4 tsp Sugar

Salt,to taste

to temper:

2-3 tbsp Mustard oil or any other vegetable oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds(Kalonji)

1/2 tsp Carom seeds(Ajwain),optional

Method:

• Wash and trim the brinjals into 8 long slices and put them in water to avoid discoloring.

• Heat mustard oil in a thick bottomed pan until it is smoking hot and switch off  the flame and leave it aside for a while.Again heat the oil and crackle mustard seeds,cumin seeds,fennel seeds,fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds and carom seeds.
• Add asafoetida,curry leaves and grated ginger and fry for half a minute.

• Reduce the flame and add turmeric powder,coriander powder and red chili powder and quickly saute and add drained brinjal pieces and mix it nicely until all the pieces are coated well with the spices.

• Fry the brinjal pieces for 2-3 mins and cover it and cook for 8-10 mins until done.You can sprinkle some water on the brinjals if you feel that the masalas are burning at the bottom.

• Add salt,garam masala, sugar and amchur powder and mix well and cook it without lid for another 3-4 mins.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with rotis/parathas/naans/kulchas.

Notes:

1. Mustard oil is highly recommended for this recipe as it adds a nice flavor,but if you do not like it you can either use sesame oil or any other regular oil.
2. Indian baby brinjals or Indian long brinjals work best for this recipe.Do not use either chinese brinjals or aubergines(bharta wala baingan) for the recipe.
3. You can even coarsely grind all the spices(mentioned under to temper) and add along with the other powdered spices(like coriander powder),but I prefer this way.
4. I did few changes like the addition of carom seeds which was not there in the original recipe.

Technorati Tags: achari baingan recipe,achari brinjal recipe,north indian brinjal recipes,brinjal curry,side dish for rotis,side dish for rice,party recipes,baingan recipes,baingan sabzi

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Aloo Baingan Recipe | Dry Alu Baingan Sabzi

Aloo baingan recipe with step by step photos. Roti-Sabzi-dal is an everyday fare at our place for dinner and as I always mentioned we need various varieties of vegetables instead of the usual routine vegetables.I usually do not plan the menu ahead and always plan my menu based on the availability of vegetables and sometimes we will be usually left with less quantity which might not be enough to cook for the whole family,then the combinations come to rescue and I must say potato is the clear winner when it comes for combination.You can pair any kind of vegetable with potatoes and one can hardly go wrong with it.I use potatoes with the combination of brinjal, arbi, cauliflower, cabbage, ladies finger, capsicum, broccoli, palak, methi , amaranth greens, green peas, pumpkin etc. to create scrumptious curries to pair with rotis and rice. We usually have either a dry sabzi and dal with roti or vegetable gravy and a simple vegetable fry or vegetable fry and heavy pulses(chole,rajma etc) with rotis.

I love the simple dry sabzis with few masalas as they stand out in flavor compared to the usual masala loaded onion-tomato based dry sabzis.Also, I love the use of mustard oil in the recipes which gives a unique flavor to the curry and I have posted few dry curries earlier which are very aromatic and have unique flavors,do check out my Ajwaini Aloo Gobi with Mustard flavour,Arbi ki Bhujia | Taro root stir fry with Ajwain,Cauliflower Aromatic stir fry recipes.Today's Alu Baingan sabzi recipe is again a simple one with out onion,tomato or garlic and call for very few spices yet it gives a very aromatic and flavorful sabzi.

Check out other brinjal recipes in my blog:

• Baingan Bhartha | Punjabi style smoked and mashed Eggplant
• Begun Bhaja | Bengali style Brinjal fry
• Brinjal-Soya Chunks Curry
• Brinjal Stir fry-with Curry powder
• Vankaya Kobbari Karam | Stuffed Brinjals with fresh Coconut
• Vankaya Kothimeera Karam | Aromatic Brinjal Curry with Coriander
• Vankaya Ullipaya Karam/Stuffed Brinjal with Onion
• Brinjal Sambar
• Mamidikayi-Vankaya Pappu/Raw Mango-Brinjal Dal
• Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi | Roasted Brinjal Chutney
• Rava Vangibath
• Vangi Poha | Eggplant Poha
• Vangibath/Eggplant Rice-Karnataka Style

Here is how to make aloo baingan recipe with step by step photos.

Aloo Baingan Recipe:

Serves 2 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins

Cuisine: North Indian | Category: Main Course- Side dish

Ingredients:

12-15 baby Brinjals or long Brinjals

2 medium Potatoes

2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

2 tsp grated Ginger

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chili powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp roasted Cumin powder

1 tsp Amchur powder

3/4 tsp Carom seeds(ajwain)

Salt,to taste

2 tbsp Mustard/regular cooking Oil

Method:

• Wash and peel the potatoes and cut into wedges.Wash brinjals and remove stems and cut into 4 pieces vertically and immerse both the vegetables in water for a while.

• Heat mustard oil until it is smoking hot and switch off the flame,if you are using regular cooking oil skip this step.After a while switch it on and once it is not enough add carom seeds and let them splutter.Add grated ginger and fry for a while.

• Now add drained potato and brinjal wedges and saute them until the oil coats all the pieces,then add turmeric powder,red chili powder and salt and mix well.Let them cook covered until the vegetables are tender and cooked but also they should hold the shape.

• Add amchur powder,cumin powder and garam masala and mix well and cook for another 2-3 mins.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Notes:

1. You can add chopped onions and tomatoes in the recipe and also use ginger-garlic paste instead of ginger paste.
2. Mustard oil imparts a nice flavor to the curry,so do not skip it.If you do not like it use regular oil.
3. You can even use a mix of mustard,cumin,fenugreek,fennel and carom seeds for tempering to make it like achari alu baingan.

Technorati Tags: alu baingan recipe,dry alu baingan sabzi,sookha alu baingan sabzi,north indian side dishes,dry curries for rice,side dish for rotis,side dish for rice,punjabi recipes,easy side dishes

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Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi | Smoked Eggplant Chutney

Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi recipe with step by step photos.I have mentioned many times in my earlier posts that pacchadis(chutneys) are a must in every Andhra meal and we prepare various pacchadis with vegetables and lentils. I have posted many pacchadi varieties in my blog before and today I am adding one more pacchadi recipe to my collection. My MIL is a source for various pacchadi and pickle recipes for me and even this recipe is one of her pacchadi varieties. 

We prepare two types of  Vankaya Pacchadi- one is like the regular pacchadis where the brinjal pieces are fried along with the lentils and spices and then ground to a coarse chutney and the other one is this smoked version where eggplant is charred and then mashed and mixed with spices and is given a tempering. I like both the versions but this version is my favorite because of the smokiness of the charred eggplant.This is somewhat similar to the Punjabi Baingan Bharta but in a south Indian way. We add tamarind pulp to the chutney for a sour taste which itself gives a nice and distinct taste to the chutney.Some like to add sauteed onions to the chutney but I like to add raw onions as it gives a nice crunch and complements the smoky eggplant mash well.

Brinjal is one of the most loved vegetable in Andhra and we make various varieties with Brinjal - Vankaya Kobbari Karam, Vankaya Kothimeera Karam, Vankaya Ullipaya Karam, Bagara Baingan , Bharli Vangi, Gutti Vankaya with it.

Check out other Andhra style Pacchadi varieties in my blog:

• Beerakaya Pottu Pacchadi/Ridgegourd Peel Chutney
• Dosakaya(Andhra Cucumber) Pacchadi
• Dondakaya Pacchadi | Ivy Gourd Chutney
• Gongura Pacchadi with Green Chillies
• Gongura Pacchadi with Red Chillies
• Kobbari(Coconut) Pacchadi for Rice
• Mamidikayi-Kobbari Pacchadi/Mango-Coconut Pacchadi
• Nalleru Pacchadi | Pirandai(Adamant Creeper) Thuvaiyal
• Radish leaves(Mullangi akula) Pacchadi

Here is the recipe for Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi with step by step photos:

Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi | Smoked Eggplant Chutney:

Serves 2-3 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 10 mins | Total time: 15 mins

Cuisine: South Indian | Category: Accompaniments-Pacchadi

Ingredients:

2 medium sized long Brinjals or 5-6 small brinjals

1 amla sized Tamarind ball

1 small Onion,finely chopped

2-3 Green Chilies,finely chopped

Salt,to taste

to temper:

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds,optional

2 tsp Urad dal

a sprig of Curry leaves

a pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

• Soak tamarind in little water and remove the pulp and keep it aside.

• Wash and wipe the large eggplant and apply oil all over the skin and poke it with a fork and place it on a open flame over medium heat. Keep rotating it in between in all directions until the whole eggplant is evenly roasted.You can even bake it in the oven at 350 deg F until they are done by rotating them in between. Check it for doneness by inserting a knife, if it slides easily which indicates that it is done.Also the eggplant would have become soggy. Put it in a bowl of water immediately and leave it for 10 mins.

• Peel out the charred skin of the eggplant and also the stalk and mash it roughly with a masher. You can even chop it finely or run it in mixie in a whipper mode once.

• Mix the mashed brinjal with finely chopped green chilies and onions,salt and tamarind pulp and mix it nicely.Check the taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

• In a small tempering pan heat oil and crackle mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida and fry until the urad dal turns slight brown in color.
• Add the tempering to the eggplant mixture and mix it nicely.

Serve it with hot steamed rice and ghee.You can serve it with rotis.

Notes:

1. If  you do not like raw onions, you can even fry them slightly along with the tempering or you can avoid adding them to the pacchadi. I like the crunchiness of raw onions in the chutney, hence I add them raw.
2. This chutney(pacchadi) tastes best when done with the small brinjals or the medium long brinjals.

Technorati Tags: kalchina vankaya pacchadi, smoked eggplant chutney, andhra pacchadi varieties, pacchadi recipes for rice, chutney varieties, andhra recipes, southindian chutney recipes

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Baingan Bharta Recipe | Punjabi stlye Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta is a classic Punjabi dish where the eggplant is cooked by roasting it on open fire which gives the smoky flavor and then  it is mashed and spiced up with various spices and onion.Baingan Bharta tastes best with minimal spices and I really like to eat it bit spicy.I add a handful of green peas sometimes just to give the volume to the curry, so it is entirely optional and can avoid it.This curry is more popular curry in dhabas because of the smokyness of the dish which is done by dhungar method,I have mentioned about it in my notes section in case if you are keen to try it and have access to the charcoal.On the contrary few do not like the smoky flavor, for ex- my dad, he does not like the smoky flavor in anything and also does not eat this sabzi when it is made.

In Andhra, we prepare 'Kalchina Vankaya Pacchadi' where the brinjal is roasted on open flame and is combined with various ingredients to prepare pacchadi(chutney) which goes with rice.There is another version of Bharta known as 'Choka' where we add raw and fresh ingredients and spices to the  mashed up roasted eggplant pulp which tastes good in its own way.

Whenever I pick up large eggplants I always pick atleast two of them so that I can prepare this Bainga Bharta and Bengali Begun Bhaja, both are favorite at my place.I have blogged already various brinjal recipes in my blog.

Check out other tasty preparations with Eggplants:

• Eggplant Pakora with Chili Garlic Stuffing
• Rava Vangibath, Vangi Poha, Vangibath
• Brinjal-Soya Chunks Curry, Brinjal Stir fry-with Curry powder
• Bagara Baingan, Bharli Vangi, Kashmiri Dahi Baingan
• Vankaya Kobbari Karam, Vankaya Kothimeera Karam, Vankaya Ullipaya Karam
• Brinjal Sambar, Raw Mango-Brinjal Dal
• Eggplant Pasta

Baingan Bharta Recipe:

Serves 2 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins | Total time: 40 mins

Cuisine: Punjabi | Category: Side Dish(Curry)

Ingredients:

1 large Eggplant/Aubergine(Bharta wala Baingan)

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 large Tomato, finely chopped

a handful of fresh/frozen Green Peas, optional

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

3/4 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Cumin seeds

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Wash and wipe the large eggplant and apply oil all over the skin and poke it with a fork and place it on a open flame over medium heat. You can make a big slit and include a couple of garlic cloves, it gives a nice flavor to the bharta later. Keep rotating it in between in all directions until the whole eggplant is evenly roasted. Check it for doneness by inserting a knife, if it slides easily which indicates that it is done.Also the eggplant would have become soggy. Put it in a bowl of water immediately and leave it for 10 mins.

• Peel out the charred skin of the eggplant and also the stalk and mash it roughly with a masher. You can even chop it finely or run it in mixie in a whipper mode once.

• Heat oil in a kadai and crackle cumin seeds and add finely chopped green chilies and onions and fry nicely until they turn pink.
• Add ginger-garlic paste to it and fry nicely until the onions become brown.If you are adding green peas add at this stage and fry nicely.

• Add chopped tomatoes to it and fry until the tomatoes become mushy and the whole mixture leaves the oil at the edges.
• Add the spices - red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, salt and fry for another couple of minutes.

• Lastly add the mashed baingan pulp and mix it nicely and cook for 5-6 mins until it is well cooked and the flavors incorporate in the bharta. Switch off the flame.

Add coriander leaves and mix.

Serve it hot with Rotis/Phulkas/Parathas/Naans.

Notes:

1. You can also give Dhungar(smoke technique) to the baingan bharta. For that heat a charcoal on open flame until it is red and hot and place it in a small plate and add few drops of oil and place this plate on the prepared bharta and cover it immediately with a tight lid and leave it for a minute or two. This gives a nice smoky flavor to the bharta like how we get it in the dhabas.
2. Add minimal spices to the baingan bharta, it tastes best. Also you need to fry the masala nicely which gives a nice taste to the bharta.
3. I usually add green peas when a baingan is small just to get more quantity.You can completely avoid it.
4. Instead of Ginger-Garlic paste you can just add finely chopped garlic which is good too.

Technorati Tags: baingan bharta recipe, how to make punjabi baingan bharta, north indian side dishes, punjabi recipes, eggplant recipes, baingan recipes

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Begun Bhaja | Bengali Style Baingan Bhaja | Eggplant Fries

Eggplants of various sizes make its appearance often in my kitchen in various forms.I use small brinjals for the dry or gravy based stuffed curries or dry curries like Aloo Baingan, Achari Baingan etc and medium long eggplants are used for dry curries or Eggplant Pasta or Vangibath where as the big eggplants(which we use for Baingan Bharta) or long Japanese Eggplants are used for Baingan Bharta or this Begun Bhaja.I like Brinjal based dishes very much and I like it in any form - simple stir fry or gravy or dry curry or rice or pasta or bharta.

Today I am posting a simple Bengali recipe - Begun Bhaja, the recipe is quite simple with the most minimal spices we use in our everyday cooking. It is very simple to prepare and tastes very much similar to Andhra's Vanakaya Vepudu but the look of the final dish is different.Also the addition of mustard oil makes it bit distinct in flavor compared to the simple stir fry. I prepare another Maharasthrian recipe called Vangyache Kaap which is almost similar like Begun Bhaja just that the former version has more spices compared to the latter version. I absolutely love both the versions.

Check out other tasty preparations with Eggplants:

• Eggplant Pakora with Chili Garlic Stuffing
• Rava Vangibath, Vangi Poha, Vangibath
• Brinjal-Soya Chunks Curry, Brinjal Stir fry-with Curry powder
• Bagara Baingan, Bharli Vangi, Kashmiri Dahi Baingan
• Vankaya Kobbari Karam, Vankaya Kothimeera Karam, Vankaya Ullipaya Karam
• Brinjal Sambar, Raw Mango-Brinjal Dal
• Eggplant Pasta

If you are interested check out Bengali style Vegetable Chops.

Begun Bhaja Recipe:

Serves 2 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 15 mins | Total time: 20 mins

Cuisine: Bengali | Category: Side dish(Dry Curry)

Ingredients:

1 large Eggplant(Bharta waala Baingan or Japanese Eggplants)

1 tbsp Rice flour

3/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chili powder

Salt, to taste

Mustard Oil/Any other Oil, to fry

Method:

• Wash and cut the aubergines into 1/2" roundels or of your desired size.Put them in water for 7-8 mins.This helps in removing the bitterness if any from the eggplants. Remove them and wipe them using a kitchen towel.

• Meanwhile in a broad plate add rice flour, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and 2 tsp oil and  everything nicely. You can skip rice flour at this step and dip the marinated eggplants later in it before frying.
• Now apply this mixture to the sliced eggplants on both the sides and let them marinate for 10 mins.

• Heat a flat tawa and add 1-2 tbsp mustard oil(or any other oil) and spread it and place the marinated eggplant roundels in a single layer.

• Let hem fry for 5-6 mins on medium flame and turn them gently to the other side and fry for another 5 mins. Do not overcrowd the pan if you have more eggplant slices, you can do in batches or in two pans simultaneously.

Serve them hot as a side dish for Rotis/Parathas or Rice.

Notes:

1. Rice flour can be mixed along with the spices or one can dip marinated slices in it before you fry eggplants.
2. If you like tangy and more chatpata add amchur powder and garam masala along with the other spices.
3. You can skip rice flour all together if you want.
4. You can also dip the marinated slices in fine sooji for crispy begun bhaja.
5. Mustard oil adds a nice flavor to the eggplants, if you like it do not skip it.

Technorati Tags: begun bhaja, bengali side dishes, eggplant fry, baingan bhaja, how to make bengali style begun bhaja, side dish for rotis, side dish for rice, eggplant recipes, bengali vegetarian recipes

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Eggplant Pasta | Easy Pasta Recipes

Pasta is one of the easiest options I would look for when I am pressed for time or if I am lazy to cook something elaborate.I must say that I am lucky that DH prefers the simple kind of pastas like Aglio E Olio or a simple pesto based Pasta than the heavy sauce and cheese loaded pastas.Hence making pastas is easy for me. Infact I have also started preferring these simple yet flavorful pasta.

As I find Aglio E Olio bit dry for my liking, I usually serve it with grilled vegetables or eggplants.The soft and fleshy eggplants make a nice combination with the pasta and we started liking it and slowly I turned out the entire dish into a single one and that is how the Eggplant pasta started featuring at my place.

In case you are interested check out other Pasta recipes here -

• Basil Pesto with Spiral Pasta
• Macaroni with Roasted Vegetables and Herbs in White Sauce
• Pasta Salad
• Spinach Pesto Penne Pasta
• Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta 

Eggplant Pasta Recipe:

Serves 2

Prep time:10 mins | Cooking time:20 mins | Total time:30 mins

Cuisine: Italian | Category: Pasta - Main Course

Ingredients:

2 cups Pasta(of any shape)

2-3 long thin Purple Eggplants

1 Onion,finely chopped

6-8 Garlic cloves,finely chopped

1/2 tsp Pepper powder,freshly ground

1/2 tsp Red chili flakes

1 tsp Mixed Italian Herbs

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Bring water to a boil with salt and add a tsp of olive oil in a big pot add pasta and cook for 8-10 mins until it is al dente or follow the instructions on your package.Drain the pasta and keep it aside.
• Meanwhile chop eggplants into small cubes or cut them into thin 1" length pieces and drop them in salted water for 10 mins.This will remove the bitterness of eggplants and also would not let it turn black.Squeeze slightly the extra water and pat dry it.You can either grill them in oven with some olive oil and salt for 15-20 mins until done or saute it in olive oil in a pan until they are soft and cooked.
• Heat olive oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic and fry until it turns slight red in color and then add chopped onions and fry well until they turn translucent and turn slight pink.
• Add grilled or sauteed eggplant cubes/pieces and fry for 1-2 mins.
• Add red chili flakes, mixed herbs, pepper powder and salt and fry for 1-2 mins.
• Add cooked and drained pasta to it and mix well until the mixture coats the pasta.

Serve it hot and drizzle on top with Extra virgin olive oil and shaved Parmesan cheese.I served it with Garlic Bread and lemonade.

Notes:

1. You can use herbs of your choice like fresh basil or oregano in the recipe instead of mixed dried herbs. 
2. If you like you can add Parmesan cheese into the pasta while it is on heat.
3. Chopped canned tomatoes or blanched,peeled and chopped tomatoes also can be added along with onions in the recipe.

Technorati Tags: eggplant pasta recipe, pasta recipes, simple pasta recipes, kid friendly pasta recipes, eggplant recipes, aubergine pasta recipe, aubergine recipes, italian pasta recipes, italian recipes

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Kashmiri Dahi Baingan Recipe

I have been preparing simple pulaos for lunch on weekends these days as per the instructions of DH. He does not like me slogging in the kitchen during weekends and hence asks me to prepare a simple pulao kind of meal.Even I find it very easy to prepare the pulaos rather than a whole sabzi-dal fare.I usually serve pulao with raitas, papad and salad.I wanted to try the Aromatic Kashmiri style Dahi Baingan recipe from such a long time and I am glad I tried it.I liked the usage of the spices in this recipe which is quite different from the usual ones and more over it is No-Onion-No-Garlic recipe and no chopping and grinding required for the masala.It is a very quick and easy recipe but completely packed with aromas.

'Hing' or 'Asadoetida' plays a key role in the flavor and the freshly ground fennel powder and dry ginger powder add a unique flavor to it.We liked it so much that I have prepared it on two consecutive weekends.It would be ideal to serve it with Saffron rice or mild flavored Pulaos.After a small internet search to peek into minute details of the recipe,I found that this recipe belongs to Kashmiri Pandit Cuisine,I am not going into further depth of detailing the cuisine now.

I love Brinjals and especially the long purple shiny ones tempts me to buy whenever I spot them in the markets.These long purple eggplants are ideal to prepare Begun Bhaja, Aloo Baingan, Achari Baingan ,Baingan Bharta ,Vangi Bhath and now even this Dahi Baingan added to the list. Give your regular raita a miss and try this Kashmiri Dahi Baingan to pair with your pulaos,it is definitely a treat to the taste buds.

  

Kashmiri Dahi Baingan Recipe:

recipe source: Sanjeev Kapoor

Serves 4-5

Prep time:5 mins + soaking time | Cooking time:25 mins | Total time:30 mins

Cuisine: Kashmiri -India | Category: Side dish - Main Course

Ingredients:

4-5 large long purple Brinjals

2 cups fresh Curd

1 tbsp Fennel seeds(Saunf) 

1.5 tsp Red chili powder

1 tsp Dry Ginger powder

1/2 tsp Asafoetida (use 1/4 tsp if it is stronger one)

2-3 Green Cardamoms,powdered

Salt to taste

2-3 tbsp Mustard Oil

3 tbsp Water

Method:

• Dry roast fennel seeds and powder them in a mortar and pestle.
• Whisk the Curd nicely.
• Cut Brinjals into thick 1" pieces and immerse them in salted water for 15-20 mins.This will remove the bitterness of brinjals if it is there.
• Collect all the spices - fennel seed powder, asafoetida, red chili powder, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder in a small cup and add 3 tbsp water to it and mix well.

• Heat mustard oil in a kadai/pan to its smoking point and switch off the flame for a minute.Again switch it on and add the mixed spice paste and fry it gently over low flame for a minute until the masala is roasted and leaves the oil.Take care not to burn the masala.

• Slightly squeeze the brinjal pieces and add and mix well and fry for 3-4 mins until the masala mixture coats the brinjal pieces nicely.

• Cover it and cook over low flame for 12-15 mins until the brinjals are cooked nicely.If needed cook for bit long.
• Add salt to the cooked brinjals and mix well.

• Remove the kadai from the flame and leave it aside for half a minute.Add beaten curd to it and mix well and bring the kadai back on the flame.This step is essential as there are chances that the curd might curdle when added to the hot kadai on flame.

• Stir it gently and cover it cook on low heat for 3-4 mins until it comes to a slight boil.Keep stirring occasionally and cook on low flame.If you cook for longer the curd will curdle.You should switch off the flame immediately when you see it has started boiling otherwise the curd will curdle in a fraction of seconds.Mine was about to curdle as I was doing multi tasking at that time,so please be cautious in this step.

Serve it hot with Saffron Rice or Pulaos or Biryanis or Rotis. I served it with Paneer Pulao, papad and salad.

 

Notes:

1. I used 1/4 tsp Asafoetida as I used the stronger rock variety,powder it and use.
2. I usually immerse the eggplants in water for sometime as it will remove the bitterness from brinjals if anything is there.
3. I even tried it with out cardamom powder too even it tasted nice.So you can prepare it with or with out cardamom powder.

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