Bagara Baingan - A Hyderabadi Special

Hope everyone had a wonderful Pongal celebration. We too had a good time. Though I wanted to post some pongal related recipes, I could not click any pictures. So I’ll have to postpone it to some other time.

Today I am sharing this very very yummy recipe of Bagara Baingan – A Hyderabad Special.

I’m really not a fan of eggplants. I was very speculative about tasting this Hyderbadi Eggplant specialty. But just decided to do so, since the gravy looked too tempting. And I really have no regrets for having done it, this was so YUMMY! I got the recipe from my cousin, at whose place I had it and recreated it at home.  It was an instant hit with family. Since then I have made it a number of times.

Traditionally the eggplants are fried in oil and then simmered in fragrant and spicy gravy, slowly absorbing all the yummy flavors.

Don’t let the list of ingredients and procedure scare you. This is definitely a must try for all those eggplant lovers. So let’s get to the recipe:

What you’ll need

1. Tender Purple Brinjals – 10 Nos.
2. Onion – 2 Medium
3. Ginger – a small piece
4. Garlic – 3 to 4 cloves
5. Tamarind Paste – 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
7. Chilly Powder – ½ tsp
8. Sugar – ½ tsp
9. Salt to taste

For the Masala paste

1. Groundnuts – 1tbsp
2. Sesame seeds/Til/ - 1 tbsp
3. Coriander Seeds – ½ tbsp
4. Dry Red Chillies – 2 or 3 (Adjust according to taste)
5. Scraped Coconut – 1 tbsp
6. Onion – 1/2

For Tempering

1. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
2. Jeera/Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
3. Fennel Seeds – ½ tsp
4. Dried Red Chilly – 1
5. Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
6. Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat a Kadai, Dry roast groundnuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds one by one and keep aside
2. Add a tsp of oil in the same Kadai, and fry the Dry red chillies and coconut for a few minutes or till the coconut slightly changes color.
3. Grind the groundnuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies, coconut, half a raw onion and salt into a coarse paste. You can add a little water while grinding.
4. Slit brinjals, from back, in such a way that the stalk is retained.
5. Stuff the brinjals with the stuffing. Use as required and keep the rest of the masala paste for later use.
6. Heat a Non stick pan with oil, temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel, fenugreek and dry red chilly.
7. Now add in sliced onions, and sauté for about a minute.
8. Next add in grated ginger and crushed garlic. Sauté well till the onions turn light brown.
9. Now place the brinjals carefully into the pan, one by one and fry it for a few minutes.
10. Cover and cook for few minutes till the brinjals are half done.
11. Add the remaining masala paste turmeric powder, Chilly powder, tamarind paste, sugar  and salt to taste.
12. Add a cup of water.
13. Cover and cook on medium heat till the brinjals are completely done. Stir once in a while so as not to burn the gravy. Add more water if necessary.
14. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve with rice or rotis.

Linking this to Dish it out - Brinjals and Garlic hosted by Sangee Vijay