Bagara Baingan (Indian eggplant curry)- Hyderabad delicacy

Bagara Baingan is a famous recipe from Hyderabad, where I grew up. It is very popular in weddings served with Hyderabadi Biryani (the eggplants used to float in oil/masala). My mom popularized it amongst our family and it became my signature dish in the US in parties and family gatherings. Recently on a Sunday, my brother (who lives in US) told me that good old Bagara Baingan is for lunch! Found out that Jayashree, my sis-in-law made it (not my mom who is visiting them). So, it truly has become our signature household recipe passing along to next generations. 

The main ingredient in this dish is peanut and small purple baingan (brinjal/small purple, Indian eggplant). Otherwise, it is a mishmash of spices (you name it and it is there in this recipe). The recipe is quite elaborate, but I will try to keep it simple:) I also tried to make it more heart healthy with less oil and more protein (peanuts/dals). You can use Microwave to cook the eggplant and fry them in less oil (similar to what you take for a saute) instead of deep frying them.

Bagara Baingan
Dedicated to my mom, Lakshmi Raman, who taught me how to cook it

Ingredients
1 kg small purple Baingan (Indian eggplant).
6-8 Tbsp refined oil

Preparing the Baingan (Indian eggplant)
Try to pick the smaller eggplants with green stalks (greener the stalks, the fresher the eggplant is). Eggplant is washed and dried with cloth. With a knife, you slit the bottom of the eggplant into 4 quadrants ending the cut at the stalk. You don't cut it completely, you leave it as a whole. Heat oil with 4-6 tbsp of oil and fry the eggplant in oil until completely cooked (crinkled/brown), strain the oil and keep them aside on plate.

Wet Masala
3-4 medium size tomatoes
2 onions coarsely cut
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 green chillies
1/8 cup grated coconut (you can use fresh coconut)
2 Tbsp Tamarind paste (concentrate)


Grind the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chillies and coconut in a blender until a smooth paste.

3 cups water for cooking dish
1 small bunch of cilantro leaves for garnish
Keep the water for later when you cook the masala.

Dry Masala
1 cup peanuts - roasted
1/4 cup chana dal (yellow split pea)
1/4 cup urad dal (black gram)
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
2 cardamom clusters (8 small seeds)


1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3-4 red chilli

Directions
Heat 1 tsp oil. I will now give you the sequence of roasting. keep them aside after they are completely roasted. The sequence is 1. Peanuts, 2. Dals, 3. Coriander+Red chilli 4. Mustard, fenugreek, cumin, sesame seeds, cloves, cinnamon, poppy seeds, cardamom, asafoetida. Let all the spices cool down and then grind them into a semi-coarse to fine powder.

Preparation of dish

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a heavy pan, and add the wet masala and turmeric, salt. Let it cook so that the green flavor is removed and the masala starts to boil. Keep a lid on top as the masala will get to sputter all over once it starts boiling. Add the 2 cups of water and let it cook in low heat until the oil oozes out of the masala (this is the sign that the masala is well cooked).

Now add the dry masala, add the extra one cup of water and let it cook well for 5 min in low heat until the dals are fully cooked and the oil comes out. Add the fried Baigan at the end and let it all cook for another 5-10 min. You can add more water or salt as needed so the masala is not dried out. You need to give it a good gravy consistency. Cook it in low heat with a lid on. Garnish on top with Coriander leaves.

It is served best with Hyderabadi Biryani, however it usually goes well with Chapathi/Roti or plain white rice. My husband and children all love it, the sign of this is that there are no left overs!

Bon Appetite!