Honestly…I don’t even like ‘Baigan’ or aubergines / brinjals…whatever you call it in ur part of the world! I avoid it to the core. And so does my hubby! Not a fan at all.. 😡😢😢😢 

But then there is always an exception to the rule.. Bharwa Baigan, being ours!!! And of course the succulent Baigan BhajjaΒ (batter fried aubergine fritters)Β wow! Drooling already πŸ˜› and it’s again my mom’s recipe, so it’s tried, tested and loved πŸ’•πŸ’•

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See, how tempting it looks…coated with a spicy dry rub and has no onion or garlic! A great side dish for your rotis / Parathas or even my pretty Masala PurisΒ …and a glass of Spiced Buttermilk / Chaas! Goes equally well with some steamed rice, dal tadka / dahi kadhi or even our dear humble khichadi πŸ‘ŒπŸ‘Œ trust me, try it once and you will enjoy it thoroughly! Although I use mustard oil to cook these, you can choose to use any oil of your preference, and the taste will still be just divine! It’s rustic, it’s homey….it’s just what a home-cooked meal should be like…comforting πŸ˜€

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My mom, and now me..keep it simple and add a few slices of potato too to the same spice mix…it’s the perfect match ..and so quick! Just 30 mins πŸ˜›πŸ˜‡πŸ˜‡ now getting on with the recipe… (For a change…you will find some pics of the steps involved here…it’s easy but needs to be shown and seen!)

Yield: serves 2-3

Equipment: a large wok, a sharp knife, a mixing bowl, measuring spoons / cups.

Ingredients:

4-5 nos thin & long purple brinjal (Baigan, refer to the pic below)

2 nos medium potato washed, peeled and sliced (refer to the pic below)

For the dry masala (dry rub):

3 tbsp roasted coriander pwd

2 tbsp roasted cumin pwd

1.5 tbsp red chilli pwd

1 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp amchur pwd (dried mango pwd)

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

To cook:

5-6 tbsp mustard oil (use any variant of oil as you prefer)

Method:

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Wash, clean and dry the brinjals, keeping the peel on them, cut them into one inch thick roundels. Slit them from the centre lengthwise but not all the way through and put in some slits inside too. (See the pic above). Also prepare the potatoes as shown in the pic. Prick the potato slices with a knife so that the masala can get absorbed.

In a small plate, mix together all the dry spices and the seasonings. Using a spoon, stuff the prepared and slit brinjals. Coat the potato slices too in the masala mix. (See the pic above)

Keep the stuffed brinjals and potatoes in a mixing bowl. In the meantime, heat oil in the wok, if your using mustard oil, then heat to smoking point and then reduce the flame and let it cool a bit before moving to the next step (if you’re using any other oil, just heat it well), once the oil is ready, add the stuffed brinjals & potatoes into the wok & stir well to coat everything with the oil. Cook uncovered for 5 mins on high flame. Stir again. Slowly the potatoes will begin to crisp up. Cover and cook for 12-14 mins. Open the cover after that and check if the potatoes are cooked which they would have cooked by now. (If the potatoes are a bit undercooked, cover for a few ore mins). The brinjals, you will see that they have cooked perfectly. Give everything a good mix. Garnish with some coriander leaves and serve hot! 😁

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Hope you enjoy these!

Love,

Shreya πŸ’•

6 comments on “Bharwa Baigan – Delicious North Indian Recipe”

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