Bagara Baingan

(North Indian brinjal recipe)

Bagara Baingan ingredients:

• 8 brinjals
• 1 medium size onion, finely sliced
• small lemon size tamarind
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp chilli powder or to taste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 fenugreek seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 1" cinnamon
• few curry leaves
• few coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Paste ingredients:

• 1/2 ground nuts (peanuts)
• 2 tbsp seasame seeds
• 2 tbsp coconut powder or fresh coconut

Bagara Baigan preparation:

• First dry roast the peanuts, seasame seeds and coconut powder till they into nice golden yellow colour.
• Make a paste (little bit corase) and keep aside.
• Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup water and extract the juice.
• Wash and cut the brinjals ("+" shape) and put them in water.
• Now heat a pan with oil and add mustard seeds.
• When they start to pop add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
• When they start to crackle add sliced onions and saute till they become transparent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell disappears or till the oil separates from the mixture.
• Now add brinjals, salt and cover with a lid and cook on low flame till the brinjal become tender.
• Add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and saute for few seconds.
• Now add the tamarind extract and bring it boil.
• Add ground paste and combined well.
• Cover with a lid and cook on very low flame for further 10 mins.
• In-between stir well. so that they don't burn.
• Finally adjust salt and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Now yout easy and tasty bagara baingan is ready to serve.
• This goes well with Roti, paratha, plain white rice, etc...

prep time: 15 mins

cooking time: 20-30 mins

serves: 4-6