Its brinjal this time - Baghare Baingan ( Aubergine in peanut coconut gravy)

Good Morning!!!!

My husband hardly likes anything in Indian food and baingan ( this is what brinjal is called in India) is a veggie he hates the most and for me baingan brings memories of childhood. My mother use to grow baingan in the kitchen garden and I loved the simple allu baingan sabzi she would prepare.

So last night I took up a challenge to prepare something out of baingan that my husband would love and that gave birth to "Baghare Baingan".

Whenever I am going to cook something new my mind is flooded with ideas and they come at any time while driving , while sleeping or maybe while talking to someone and my mind comes to peace when I do some action that is cook it up.

Baghare baingan is a south Indian delicacy which with little twist could be transformed to a Bengali delicacy. I will share both of them.

Please excuse me for not taking the photographs but from next time I will definately do.

Baghare baingan

Ingredients:-
Brinjal small 500gm
roasted peanuts 2 tbsp
sesame seeds / til 2 tbsp
grated coconut tbsp
whole coriander 1 tbsp
cumin 1 tsp
ginger paste 1 tsp
green chilies 2-3
mustard seeds 1 tsp
heeng
karrie patta 8-10
turmeric 1/2 tsp
tamarind pulp 1 tbsp
salt as per taste
red chillie powder 1/2 tsp
sugar 1 tbsp
coriander leaves for garnish
oil 4-5 tbsp

Method:-

Take small seedless brinjal, wash thoroughly, cut the brinjals dial downwards such that the stalks remain connected. Take ½ tsp salt and rub inside the brinjals place for about 10-12 minutes.Peel ginger, wash and take green chillies and remove their stalks and fry them in the frying pan, along with cumin , coriander,roasted sesame, peanuts and coconut without water or with  little water and grind finely.
Put oil in a frying pan and heat, then put 2-3 brinjal,and saute until they are soft

In the remaining oil, add asafetida , mustard seeds and curry leaves. After frying them,put turmeric powder,and then put ground spices and fry until the oil separates.Add red chillie powder, salt, tamarind paste and sugar. Add 1-2 cups of water and let it come to boil, then add the fried brinjal cook 5-6  on low flame till brinjal take the taste of all the spices. Let them simmer till the sauce thickens to consistency of your choice. Garnish with fresh cut coriander.

To make the bengali version replace coconut , peanuts and sesame seeds with 3 Tbsp of poppy seeds. Soak them in water and make a fine paste. Rest everything remains same.

Give this recipe a try I am sure you would enjoy. Till then happy cooking...................