Bagara Baingan is a delicious dish / sabzi, very popular in South India especially in Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad.
Ingredients:
250 g small, round Brinjal (baigan / egg plant)
1 cup Onions, chopped
1 tbsp Grated Coconut, fried
1 tbsp Roasted Groundnuts
1 tbsp Sesame Seeds, fried
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Coriander Powder
Red Chili Powder, to taste
½ tsp Cumin Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
1 Tamarind Ball, lemon-sized
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped
Salt, to taste
4 tbsp Oil, for frying
Procedure of Bagara baingan :
- Slit the brinjal / baingan from both the ends, without cutting the vegetable completely Retain the green stem part. Place the slit brinjals in water.
- Take a small cup of water and soak tamarind in it, for about ½ an hour. Later filter the tamarind juice.
- Grind the fried items together: sesame seeds, roasted groundnuts (remove skin) and grated coconut to make a smooth paste.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry brinjals in it till they become soft. When done, keep aside..
- In the same pan, heat rest of the oil and then put ginger-garlic paste in it, along with chopped onions. Fry till the onions turn light brown in color.
- Now, add the grinded masala paste in it and fry for a minute.
- Put turmeric powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder , red chili powder and salt in it.
- After stirring for a few minutes add the fried brinjals , tamarind juice and cover with a lid . Cook until the brinjals are tender.
- Garnish the bagara baingan curry with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapatti