Hyderabadi Baghara Baingan | Hyderabadi Brinjal recipe

Hyderabadi Baghara Baingan – a flavourful brinjal preparation.

Brinjals cooked in Hyderabadi gravy is a delicious dish and a must try recipe. This gravy is tangy and has a unique flavour because of roasted sesame and peanuts. Peanuts and sesame seeds impart a nutty flavour to the gravy. This gravy goes well with rotis and also tastes great with rice.

Ingredients

10 to 12 small brinjals
4 tbsp oil
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
¼ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
Few curry leaves
2 green chillies, slit vertically
Salt as per taste

For sesame peanut powder
2 tbsp peanuts (moongphali)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)

For the masala paste
1 onion, chopped
6 to 7 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
½ cup fresh grated coconut
a lemon sized ball of tamarind
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin coriander powder
2 tsp red chilly powder

Method

• Wash the brinjals and slit each brinjal lengthwise into four, keeping the stems intact in such a way that the brinjals remain joined at the stem.  Immerse the slit brinjals in water in a vessel to prevent it from turning black.
• Soak a lemon sized ball of tamarind in ¼ cup of water.
• Keep aside for 20 to 30 minutes .
• Mash and squeeze the tamarind using your fingers.
• Strain and keep tamarind paste aside,  discarding the tamarind remains.
• Heat a pan and dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin seeds for 2 minutes while stirring continuously.
• Once it cools down, blend in a mixer to a coarse powder. Keep this aside.
• Blend chopped onion, garlic, ginger, grated coconut, tamarind paste with a little water to a smooth paste.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. 
• Add the ground paste and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add the turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder, red chilly powder and mix well.
• Saute for a minute or so.
• Add the sesame peanut powder, little water and mix well.
• Cook on a slow flame for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, heat another pan with 3 tbsp oil.
• Add  frenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, slit green chillies and saute for few seconds.
• Add the slit brinjals and saute for 2 minutes.
• Cook covered for 5 minutes.  
• Add the sautéed brinjals to the masala paste.
• Add little water to obtain the desired consistency.
• Add salt and cook covered till the brinjals are cooked well.
• Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with rotis or rice.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO

Brinjal lovers, do have a look at the following brinjal recipes:

Maharashtrian style stuffed brinjal, Begun Bhaja, Baingan Bharta, Baingan Aloo Sabzi and Baadal Jaam