Dahi Baingan (Eggplant in Yoghurt Gravy)

 

            This is one of my quick fix recipe where I cooked the eggplants in a yoghurt based gravy. Very simple to prepare, it tastes absolutely yummy. It is truly a vegetarian delight, with no onion or garlic. In this recipe, I have used baby eggplants. However, you may use any variety you prefer. You can enjoy it with any form of rice or Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.  

• 8-10 baby eggplants, sliced into 4 pieces 
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 3/4 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Whisk together yoghurt, chickpea flour, ginger paste and all the dry spices. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat the remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the yoghurt mix and 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a boil.

          Add the sautéed eggplants and green chilies. Cover and simmer on a low to  medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

         When done, garnish with coriander leaves. Relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, paratha, poori or chapatti.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

Heat the remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

       Then add the yoghurt mix & 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a boil.

 

Add the sautéed eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

                     When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

       Relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, paratha, poori or chapatti.

Begun Posto (Eggplants in Poppy Seeds Gravy - Bong Style)

 

           Begun Posto (Eggplants in poppy seeds gravy) is a take on the Bong style Aloo Posto. The latter is a very popular dish and is a must on a Bengali platter. This recipe is a very simple and easy to prepare, as it requires minimum of spices easily available in every kitchen. 

       It is an absolutely yummy dish that goes extremely well with hot steamed rice or chapatti / paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this regional delicacy.

             Posto (Poppy seeds) is a hot favorite among the Bengali crowd. It is a versatile spice with which various veg. and non-veg. recipes can be prepared. 

             In this recipe, I made use of baby eggplants. However, you can go in for any variety of your choice. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch and flavor. 

            The recipe is healthy and light on the tummy with less spice. Besides, you can also relish it with luchi (poori) as a weekend breakfast with your loved ones. 

• 8-10 baby eggplants
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 onion,  chopped
• 1/3 cup poppy seeds / sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves to garnish
• 1 tsp. mustard oil to garnish

           Blend the sesame seeds in a mixer grinder into a paste along with some water. Keep aside. 

           Rinse the eggplants and wipe them well. Make two slits on each of them. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry them till light brown. Set aside.

          Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil and temper with nigella seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the chopped onion and stir fry till light brown. 

         Add the sesame seeds paste, salt, turmeric powder and roasted cumin powder. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Now add 1 cup water and green chilies. Bring it to a  boil. Add the fried eggplants. 

          Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame till the veggie turns soft and the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.  

         When done, switch off the flame and garnish with 1 tsp. mustard oil and  coriander leaves. 

          Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis / parathas for a comforting meal.

Note - 

1.  I have used sesame seeds in place of poppy seeds as the latter is not available at my place of residence. However, there was no change in the flavor. It turned absolutely yummy.

  Rinse the eggplants & wipe them well. Make two slits on each of them. 

             Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry them till light brown. Set aside.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil & temper with nigella seeds & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Then add the chopped onion & stir fry till light brown. 

Add the sesame seeds paste, salt, turmeric powder & roasted cumin powder. 

                      Sauté till the oil separates. 

                  Add 1 cup water & green chilies. Bring it to a boil. 

Add the fried eggplants. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame till the veggie turns soft & the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.

  

When done, switch off the flame & garnish with 1 tsp. mustard oil & coriander leaves. 

Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis / parathas for a comforting meal.

Keema Bagara Baingan

 

              Bagara Baingan  is a signature dish of Hyderabad and is generally served with Dum Biryani. It also goes well with bagara rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. So check out my version of bagara baingan cooked with mutton keema to come up with this fusion combo. The end result was a super yummy, spicy and a tangy curry. Just perfect for a weekend lunch. It is also a great party recipe and just the right one for any Eid festival. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup mutton keema / mince
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2 tbsp. peanuts
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 6 baby eggplants, washed, drained & slit
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts till golden in colour. Keep aside to cool. Then grind and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix together ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder and salt with some water. Keep aside.

 

          Wipe the eggplants well and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry them till light brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and sauté the onion till light brown. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the ground coconut and fry on a low flame till well combined.

          Add the mutton keema and curry leaves. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Then add 1 & 1/2 cups water and the fried eggplants. Cover and simmer on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the eggplants are tender and the gravy is thick to a desired consistency.  

                 
          Add the tamarind water and simmer further for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. Enjoy with biryani, jeera rice, pulao, naan or tandoori roti.

                            Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds & peanuts till golden in color. 

                            Keep aside to cool. Then grind and keep aside. 

                       In a small bowl, mix ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric 

                       powder, coriander-cumin powder & salt with some water. Keep aside.

                   Wipe the eggplants well and keep aside. Then heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry them till light                             brown. Keep aside.

                                  Heat remaining oil & sauté the onion till light brown. 

                                 Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the oil separates.

                            Add the ground coconut & fry on a low flame till well combined.

                         Add the mutton keema & curry leaves. Sauté till the oil separates. 

                                  Then add 1 & 1/2 cups water.....

                         and the fried eggplants. Cover & simmer for 4-5 minutes or till the 

                         eggplants are tender & the gravy is thick to a desired consistency.  

 

                                  Add tamarind water & simmer further for 2 minutes. 

                                  When done, garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                Enjoy with biryani, jeera rice, pulao, naan or tandoori roti.

Vankaya Vepudu (Eggplant Fry - Andhra style)

 

            Vankaya Vepudu or in simple terms Eggplant Fry is an Andhra style spicy and tangy stir fry dish made of eggplants / brinjal. It is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. However, you may also enjoy with paratha or chapatti. 

          In fact, eggplants tastes better if prepared in this way. In this recipe I opted for baby eggplants. But you can also use any other variety of your choice. To enhance the flavor you may also drizzle some ghee while serving. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic and lip smacking regional delicacy.

           This Vankaya Vepudu is very popular dish in many regions of Andhra, where it is enjoyed by the local folk and found in every Andhra household and restaurants. Each family and restaurant has their own unique style of preparing it. 

           Basic ingredients, available in the kitchen goes into the preparation. However, peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut are the main spices used in the recipe besides others. It simply tastes awesome with just hot steamed rice with some ghee and you don't need anything else to satiate your hunger. A simple meal like this brings a deep satisfaction beyond compare. 

Ingredients - 

• 8-10 baby eggplants, sliced into 4 pieces
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

To grind - 

• 2 tbsp. peanuts, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut, dry roasted
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste

           Grind all the mentioned ingredients into a coarse powder and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds or till it stops spluttering.

          Add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent. Now add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and cook, covered till it turns soft. Keep stirring at intervals. 

          When done, add the coarsely ground spice mix and give it a stir so that the eggplants are well coated. 

          Now switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti. 

Notes - 

1.  Immerse the chopped eggplants in salt water to avoid discoloration. 

2.  Adjust the red chili powder according to your preference. However, this dish tastes yummy when it is spicy.

3.  I added tamarind paste in this recipe. You may use a small lime size ball of tamarind. 

4.  You may also serve vankaya vepudu with a drizzle of some ghee to enhance the flavor.

                                  Dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and grated coconut.

                                  Grind all the mentioned ingredients 

                                  into a coarse powder and keep aside.

                       Heat oil in a pan & temper with chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, 

                       cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

                                  Add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent. 

                      Add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt to taste & turmeric powder. Mix 

                      well & cook, covered till it turns soft. Keep stirring at intervals. 

                            When done, add the ground spice mix & give it a stir so that the 

                            eggplants are well coated.

                                 Garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                 Serve with hot steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti.