Bagara Baingan ( Hyderabadi speciality )

Its been a long time that I tasted this wonderful brinjal preparation at a wedding reception.  I was in my middle school and dint know that it was a Hyderabad speciality ( I was living in Secunderabad then ).  After that I never tasted it until I made it and now I have forgottent the authentic taste of it.  But any baby brinjal preparation either stuffed or whole, I just love it.
After going through many recipes from others, I made Bagara Baingan with all the fusion in the other recipes.

 

Ingredients :

12 baby brinjals ( slit into four with the stem intact )
whole garam masala ( 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves, 1 small stick of cinnamon, badi elaichi /  big cardamom )
1 cup thick tamrind extract
2 green chillies slit ( optional )
1 big onion chopped finely
1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp. jaggery
few curry leaves
1/4 tsp. mustard seeds
pinch of fenugreek seeds
pinch of kalonji / nigella seeds ( optional )
1/2 tsp. jeera
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder ( reduce or add according to spice level required )
Salt to taste
Cooking oil 1 tbsp. + 2 tbsp.

For the paste :
2 tbsp. sesame seeds
handful of groundnut
2 tbsp. grated dried kopra ( dried coconut the one you get in Indian stores )

Method :

1.  For the paste :  Dry roast the sesame seeds till brown and keep aside.  Then dry roast the grated kopra ( coconut ) till light pink.  Next roast the groundnuts till the skin looses from the nut, cool and remove skin.  Grind all the three i.e. sesame seeds, groundnuts and kopra with some water to a coarse paste.

2.  Heat 1 tbsp. of oil and shallow fry the brinjals with a pinch or two of salt till the skin begins to change colour and wilts. (  Recipes from other sources call for deep frying the brinjals to retain their colour.  To avoid too much of oil, I decided to shallow fry ).  The brinjals will be only half cooked, the remaining half will be cooked in the gravy.  Remove from pan and keep aside the brinjals.

3.  Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil, add the whole garam masala and let them puff up, then splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji and jeera.  Add green chillies, onion and saute till the onion turns translucent.  Add ginger-garlic paste and continue to saute till the onion turns light brown in colour.

4.  Add turmeric powder and mix and add the prepared paste ( sesame, groundnut & coconut ).  Mix well and saute for a minute or two.  At this stage the kitchen will smell with the heavenly aroma of coconut, onion, and the GG paste.  Add red chilli powder, salt and tamrind extract and mix well.

5.  Add the shallow fried brinjals, jaggery curry leaves and 1 1/2 cups of water and allow to boil.  Once it starts boiling, cover with a lid and cook till the brinjals are fully cooked within.  (  Ensure that you stir once in a while in between as the paste tends to sink to the bottom and get burned ).

6.  Once the brinjals are cooked thoroughly, remove and let the gravy stand for at least 1/2 hour before serving.  This is to let all the flavours and aroma of the spices and the other ingredients to sink into the gravy.  Serve with any Indian bread or pulavs or biriyanis.  I love it with hot phulkas.

Sending this recipe to Ec's WYF -  Speciality Food Event.

Krishnaarpanam