Aubergine/Baingan/Brinjal/Eggplant, this veggie has a lot of names. And it comes in so many varieties – the long tube like ones come in green and purple color. Additionally, the purple variety comes in a big, round variety and also as small baby ones.

I like cooking with all of them alike. Each variety has a slightly different flavor which makes the dishes made from them unique as well. I love making veggies and fritters/pakoras from the long tube-like ones. I love making bharta, Lasagna or Aubergine Parmigiana with the big variety. Love making spice stuffed veggie from the baby brinjals.

I love making simple dry veg with them or Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan with them. Tried another variety this time, with a yogurt based gravy and loved it. Hope you try and love them too.

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes
COOKING TIME: 25 minutes
SERVINGS: 2-3
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Medium

Dahi_wale_Baingan
Dahi_wale_Baingan

INGREDIENTS: 

  1. Small Brinjal – 7-8
  2. Onion – 1, large
  3. Tomatoes – 3, medium
  4. Ginger – one small stick
  5. Garlic – 3-4 pods
  6. Green chili – 1
  7. Yogurt – ½ cup
  8. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  9. Turmeric powder – 2 teaspoons
  10. Coriander powder – 3-4 tablespoons
  11. Coriander Leaves – for garnish
  12. Mustard oil – 3 tablespoons
  13. Salt – to taste

UTENSILS/EQUIPMENT:

  1. A wok/kadhai
  2. A flat pan

RECIPE:

  1. Wash and dry the baby brinjals.
  2. Diagonally make 4 slits in the brinjals till the top.
  3. In a small bowl, add in some mustard oil, a teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons of coriander powders and some salt and make a paste.
  4. Rub this paste inside the brinjals.
  5. Take a flat pan and add some oil in it and allow it to get hot.
  6. Add the brinjals on the pan and allow them to cook on low flame for 10 minutes or so. Keep tossing the brinjals constantly.
Masala_Baingan
Masala_Baingan

7.  Peel the onion and roughly chop it in thin and long slices.
8. In a wok/kadhai, add in a tablespoon of mustard oil and allow it to get hot. Add in a teaspoon of cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
9. Add in the onions and allow them to cook for 4-5 minutes till they get light brown.
10. Add in slit green chilli and crushed garlic and ginger to the kadhai.
11. Add in turmeric powder and coriander powder.
12. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the kadhai.
13. Add in salt and cover the kadhai and let the tomatoes sweat for 4-5 minutes. Remember that the brinjals also had salt in the stuffing masala, so keep a tab on the amount of salt you add in this masala.
14. Keep stirring in between so that the masala doesn’t burn.
15. Remove the kadhai from heat and allow the masala to cook slightly.
16. Grind the masala into a smooth paste and add it back to the kadhai.
17. Cook the masala for 2-3 minutes and then add in ½ cup yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
18. Add in the cooked brinjals and let them cook in the gravy for 3-4 minutes.
19. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas/rotis.

If you like to make a dry baby brinjal sabzi, you can add Dry Mango powder/Amchur, in the stuffing mix and stop after step 6. This is also an amazing variation to the sabzi. Try both and tell me which one you like better. 🙂