Bagara Baingan

Bagara Baingan is a popular side dish served with Hyderabadi Biryani. Brinjals are shallow fried and then added to the simmering gravy. It is also called as Nune vankaya kura in Telugu. To make the gravy taste nutty and delicious, ingredients like peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut are used. Since brinjals are fried, they turn soft and mouth melting. When simmered in the nutty, spicy gravy, they absorb all the flavors and taste delicious.

I have tweaked the recipe to suit my family’s taste by adding some potatoes and capsicum and making the gravy thick. I have also used a different type of brinjal called as gulla.

Gulla is a favourite vegetable in the Konkani community. Udupi is famous for its unique brinjal known as Mattu or Matti gulla. It is a very delicate vegetable and starts melting if you overcook.

Bagara baingan can be served with biryani or bagara rice also known as bagara chawal (plain biryani). This curry can also be served with pulao, roti, paratha.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients	Quantity
Brinjal(gulla)	1 big
Potato	1 small
Capsicum	1 small
Ghee	1 tsp
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Coriander Seeds	1 tbsp
Peppercorns	5 nos.
Sesame Seeds	1 tsp
Cloves	3 nos.
Cinnamon Stick	½ inch
Kashmiri Red Chilies	2-3
Grated Coconut	¼ cup
Onion(finely chopped)	1medium
Groundnuts	2tbsps+ 1 tbsp
Oil	2 tbsps.
Tamarind Paste	1 tbsp.
Salt	to taste

Method

Wash, wipe and chop the capsicum into 1 inch cubes. Discard the seeds.

Wash potatoes, peel and chop into inch cubes. Drop them in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the gas, cover with a lid and let it stand for 4-5 minutes. Then strain and keep aside. If you slide a knife into the potato it should go in easily without and resistance.

Wash brinjal and chop into 1inch cubes.

In a non-stick pan heat ghee and add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, sesame seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, Kashmiri red chilies and fry till the chilies are crispy. Transfer to a plate, keep aside to cool.

In the same pan heat 1tbsp of oil, add chopped onions and fry till they are soft. Add grated coconut, fry for a minute. Add the groundnuts and fry till the oil separates. Transfer to a plate, keep aside to cool.

In the same pan heat remaining oil and turn the heat to high, add the capsicum keep stirring, add the brinjals and keep stirring, add the potatoes and keep stirring on high heat till small brown specs start appearing on the skin of capsicum and brinjal and on the potatoes. Add ½ tsp salt cover the lid and keep cooking for a minute on high heat. Be careful not to burn the vegetables. Open the lid stir once close lid and simmer the flame and cook with lid covered for 2 minutes. Make sure all the vegetables are cooked well. Then transfer it to a different bowl to cool slightly and keep the lid closed.

You might think this step is too lengthy but it’s important to seal the edges of the vegetables so they don’t start melting when you boil in the gravy. Traditionally, the brinjals are deep fried in oil. But I use this method which gives it the same taste but not the excess oil.

In a large mixer grinder dry grind the roasted spice, once they and coarsely ground, add the onions and grated coconut, dry grin, then add water little at a time to grind it to a fine paste.

In the same pan heat 1 tbsp. oil, add the ground masala and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tamarind paste and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables. And stir well. Add water little at a time. Adjust salt and consistency using more water if required.

Close lid and cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes.

Serve hot with rice or roti.