Eggplant Curry with Peanuts

Eggplant - about a pound, cubed
Potato - 1, cubed
Yellow Onion - 1 small, chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp. (can use coriander powder if you don't have sambar powder)
Salt
Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup, coarsely ground
Water - if required

Heat a large pan. Add oil and cumin seeds. Then add the chopped onion and cook till soft.

Now add the chopped potato and cook for a few minutes.

Mix in the chopped eggplant, turmeric, cayenne and coriander/sambar powder. Sprinkle some salt and mix well.  If you want a dry curry, there is no need to add water but if you want a little gravy add a cup of water while the eggplant and potatoes are cooking. Cover and cook till the eggplants and potatoes are soft and cooked.

Sprinkle the crushed peanuts and mix well. Serve hot with steamed rice or flatbread.

The above is a picture of the dry curry, cooked without any water.
Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2015/07/aloo-baingan-ki-sabzi.html

Eggplant & Potato Curry

Eggplant - 1, medium size, cubed
Yukon Gold Potatoes - 2, cubed
Yellow Onion - 1, chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Green chilies - 2
Tomato - 1, grated
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup
Cilantro - a handful, chopped


Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Then add the potato cubes and saute for a couple of minutes. Once they are slightly done, add the onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric.

Then add the eggplant and let it all cook together. Pour in 1/2 cup of water, salt and let it cook on medium heat with closed lid. Midway, add the grated tomato.

Cook till the eggplants are soft and the gravy comes together. Sprinkle cilantro on top and serve hot.

Adapted from http://ahaar.blogspot.com/2010/10/spicy-eggplant-and-potato-sabzi-alu.html

Baba Ghanoush

Eggplant - 1, big
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Tahini - 2 tbsp
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Paprika for garnishing
Wash the eggplant and dry well. Prick it allover with a fork and roast on open gas flame, rotating frequently, till soft and charred completely. The skin of the eggplant should be completely black and the center of the eggplants thoroughly cooked. This gives a wonderful smoky flavor to the eggplant.

Cool, remove the skin, mash with a fork. Add tahini, olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic, lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, salt and blend in a blender till smooth.

Pour into a serving bowl, drizzle more olive oil on top, sprinkle paprika and serve. We had ours with chickpea flatbread / besan roti and falafel.

Sending this recipe to the following event hosted by http://cooksjoy.com/blog/2012/06/kitchen-chronicles-only-vegan-event-announcement.html started by http://www.sizzlingtastebuds.com/2011/12/updated-host-list-for-hli-mmk-some.html

Eggplant in Mustard Sauce / Begun Basanti

A combination of turmeric, yellow mustard and yoghurt gives this curry a beautiful golden color.

Small Eggplants - 12
Salt, sugar, turmeric for marination
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Nigella Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 4, each broken into half
Plain Yogurt - 1.5 cups (reduce the quantity if you want less gravy)
Yellow Mustard Powder - 2 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - a pinch
Roasted Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Raw Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt

Cut each eggplant lengthwise into half. Sprinkle salt, a little raw sugar and two pinches of turmeric. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.

Mix yoghurt, mustard powder, salt, sugar, turmeric, ginger paste, red chili powder, coriander powder and beat well with a whisk to make a smooth sauce. Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a skillet on medium high. Add the marinated eggplants in a single layer. (Initially when the eggplants start cooking, they absorb all the oil. But slowly as they get cooked, they release most of the oil back).  Cook till the bottom side browns slightly. Turn over and cook on the other side for a minute. Then add quarter cup of water, reduce the heat and cover the pan and cook till the eggplants are cooked. Remove and keep aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp mustard oil. Add nigella seeds and green chili. Reduce the flame and slowly add the yoghurt sauce to the skillet while mixing continuously with a wooden spoon.

Let the sauce cook for 5 to 10 minutes till oil separates from the sauce. Now add the cooked eggplants and mix well. If required add a little bit of water. Bring the sauce to a boil and remove from heat.

Methi Begun / Fenugreek Leaves with Eggplant

Methi / Fenugreek Leaves - 1 bunch, chop the leaves and only the tender stems and discard the rest
Baby Eggplants - 15, diced
Oil - 1 tbsp
Nigella Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Methi / Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Green Chili - 4, chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt

Heat oil in a skillet. Add chopped green chili, nigella seeds and methi seeds.

After a few seconds add the diced eggplant and a pinch of turmeric and salt. Toss well. Lower the heat and cover and cook (remove the cover and toss once in a while so that eggplants don't get stuck to the bottom of the pan) till the eggplants are soft and cooked.

Add the chopped methi leaves. Mix well with the eggplants. Cook for a few minutes more till the methi leaves become tender.

Adapted from http://www.bongcookbook.com/2012/02/methi-begun-way-my-ma-makes-it.html

Slim Jim Eggplant with Onion and Tomato

Slim Jim Eggplant - 8
Olive Oil - 2 tsp + 1 tbsp
Garlic Cloves - 3, chopped
Red Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1 big, chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes - 1/2 tsp

Cut each eggplant into half lengthwise from between. If the eggplants are longer than 5 inches, cut them into half and then cut each half into 2 pieces lengthwise.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add the eggplants in a single layer, skin side up. Sprinkle some salt and turmeric, lower the flame and cover the pan.

Cook till the bottom side gets caramelised and the eggplant gets a little soft. Flip and put the skin sides down now and cook covered for a few minutes more till the eggplants are completely cooked. Sprinkle a little water if required in between. Remove the cooked eggplants and keep aside.

Add a tbsp of oil and fry the garlic for a minute. Then add the chopped onion and cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the chopped tomato and cook till the tomato gets mushy.

Now add back the cooked eggplant, a little salt and red pepper flakes. Mix well, cook for a minute and remove from fire. Serve over toasted whole grain bread.

Layered Brown Rice, Chickpeas and Eggplant

Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/layered-picnic-in-a-jar-recipe/index.html

For Rice Layer :
Brown Rice - 1 cup, cooked
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Salt

For Chickpea Layer :
Chickpeas - 1 cup, cooked
Yellow Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods, grated
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Turmeric - a pinch
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Cinnamon Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt

For Eggplant layer :
Baby Eggplant - 10, cut into quarters
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Curry Leaves - 5
Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Tomato - 1, chopped
Jaggery / Palm Sugar - 1 tsp

Mix a little salt, lemon juice and chopped cilantro to the cooked brown rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic. Cook till soft. Then add chickpeas, ginger, salt, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon and cook for a few minutes till the spices mix together. Sprinkle a little water if the spices start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds and once they begin to pop, add curry leaves, onion and garlic and cook till soft. Then add the sliced eggplants, salt, turmeric and cayenne. Mix well and cover and cook on low flame till the eggplants are cooked. Midway, lift the cover and add chopped tomato and grated jaggery.

To assemble, layer a jam bottle first with rice, then chickpeas and then eggplant. To serve on a plate, serve rice, chickpeas and eggplant side by side.

Spicy Eggplant with Chana Dal

Adapted from http://tongueticklers.com/2011/09/kathrikkai-curry-roasted-eggplants/

Eggplants - 10, small, (I used a mix of small purple and green eggplants)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10
Chana Dal / Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - a pinch
Tamarind extract - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt
Cilantro - a handful (optional)

Spice Mix :
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Chana Dal - 1 tbsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds / Methi - 10
Hing - a pinch

Dry roast the urad dal and chana dal. Once the dal gets slightly brown, add the fenugreek seeds, hing and coriander powder. Roast for a minute more. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Cut each eggplant into 4 quarters. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add chana dal and sesame seeds. saute till the dal turns light brown.

Now add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well. Cover and cook on medium low heat till the eggplant gets slightly brown and is cooked.

Mix the spice powder, a tsp of tamarind extract and jaggery and toss well. The original recipe didnt have tamarind and jaggery in it but I added because I like the slightly sweet and sour taste they bring. Cook for a few minute more. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Begun Pora / Roasted Eggplant

Eggplant - 1, big
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
Red Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili - 3, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Tomato - 1, chopped
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Salt

There are 3 ways to cook the eggplant:

The best way would be if you have a gas cooking range, then prick the eggplant all over and roast on open flame, rotating frequently, till soft and charred. Cool, remove the skin, mash with a fork and use. This gives a wonderful smoky flavor to the eggplant.

Alternatively, they can be cooked using an oven.  Put the eggplant in an oven safe shallow bowl or a cookie sheet and apply a little oil. Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F and bake it for about 45 minutes turning the sides every fifteen minutes. Let it cool and peel off the skin then mash and keep aside.

I have also cooked eggplant using a pressure cooker. Initially I was sceptical on how it would turn up but actually found the taste to be identical to roasted eggplant minus the smoky flavor. The trick to cooking in pressure cooker is to put the minimum water required in the pressure cooker and no more. Peel the eggplant and cut into small cubes. Put in a pressure cooker pan with a pinch of turmeric, add a cup of water and cook under pressure for 4 whistles. Remove, cool, mash and keep aside.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add the chopped onion, a little salt and green chili. Cook till the onion gets soft and begins to caramelise.

Add the minced garlic and tomato. Cook for a minute more.

Now add the mashed eggplant and salt. Cook for a few minutes more till any liquid, if present, has evaporated.

Remove from heat, add chopped cilantro and lemon juice and mix well. Serve with any Indian flatbread or baked pita chips.

Bagara Baingan / Eggplant in Peanut Sauce

Adapted from http://www.vahrehvah.com/Bagara+Baingan+:1375
Small Eggplants - 10, washed and dried completely
Peanut Oil - 2 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala - 5 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom, 1 bayleaf
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry Leaves - 5
Onion - 2 tbsp, chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp
Shredded Dried Coconut - 1 tbsp

Tamarind - 2 tsp, soaked in warm water
Jaggery - 1 tbsp, grated
Green Chillies - 2, chopped, for garnishing (optional)

Add a tsp of oil to an iron skillet and roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and dried coconut. Once the peanuts start getting brown specks, remove from heat and cool down. Add about half a cup of water and grind in a grinder / food processor to a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Heat a tbsp of oil in the skillet. Cut each eggplant from the bottom in to 4 wedges keeping the stem intact. Add the eggplants to the skillet and shallow fry on medium low heat till the eggplants are soft and cooked. Carefully remove them to a plate without separating the wedges from the stems.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the whole garam masala spices and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing and chopped onion. Cook till the onion gets soft.

Add the ginger garlic paste and turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder. Sprinkle some water and saute for a few minutes.

Now add the ground peanut mixture, tamarind extract, jaggery and 2 cups of water. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer covered on low heat for around 20 minutes. Keep stirring in between so that the sauce doesnt get burnt at the bottom.

Once oil begins to float on top, the sauce is cooked. Add the fried eggplants,  mix gravy well and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped green chillies and serve hot.

Begun Bhaja

Brinjal - 1 big
Salt
Turmeric
Red Chilli Powder
Sugar
Maida / All Purpore Flour
Peanut Oil for deep frying

Wash the brinjal and pat it dry completely. Cut it sidewise into thick roundels.

Make a dry marination by mixing salt, sugar, turmeric and chilli powder. Appy this mixture to the roundels by pressing well on both sides. Marinate for atleast 10 minutes.

Sprinkle maida on the roundels, press so that the maida sticks to the brinjal and deep fry on medium heat till golden brown on both sides.

Serve with steamed brown rice and masur dal.

Vangi Bhath (Spicy Eggplant Rice)

Brown Rice - 1 cup, cook in a cooker till done and spread on a plate to cool
Eggplant - 10, small,
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red Onion - 1/2, finely chopped
Green Chillies - 4, finely chopped
Salt
Curry Leaves - 5
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Wet Tamarind - 2 tsp, soak in a little water
Jaggery - 2 tsp
Bisi Bele Bhath Powder - 1 tbsp
Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, green chillies and red onion. Cook till the onion becomes slightly brown in color.

Cut the eggplants just before adding them to oil to prevent discoloration. Cut them lengthwise into thin long pieces. Add to the pan and mix well with the oil. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, curry leaves. Saute for 10 minutes.

Then add a cup of water, salt, tamarind paste, jaggery, bisi bele bhath powder and cover the pan and cook on medium low till the eggplant is soft and completely cooked.

Mix the cooked rice with the eggplant. Toss roasted penuts on top and serve.

Tangy South Indian Eggplant / Kara Kuzhambu

Adapted from http://ahomemakersdiary.blogspot.com/2010/10/kara-kuzhambu-and-tomato-daal-to-tickle.html

Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Green Chilli - 4, slit

Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
Jaggery grated - 1 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Red Potato - 1/2, cut in cubes
Butternut Squash - 1/5, cut in cubes
Eggplant - 1/2 of medium sized eggplant, cut lengthwise, size should be bigger than pumpkin cubes
Both potato and squash together should be half of the total quantity of eggplant.
Pearl Onion - 10
Tomato - 1/2, chopped into 8 pieces

Make a paste of tamarind, jaggery, turmeric, sambar and coriander powder with half cup of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil, temper with mustard seeds. Then add green chilli, pearl onions, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves. Cook till the onions become lightly caramelised.

Add the vegetables and salt and toss gently on medium high heat till they are half cooked. Mix tomatoes and spice mix and cover and cook on low heat till done. The dish should have a little gravy. Serve with brown rice, roasted papad and tomato dal.

Doi Begun / Eggplant in yoghurt sauce

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2008/08/doi-begun-dahi-baingan.html

Brinjals  ... cut into thick roundels and marinated with salt and turmeric, red shilli powder, a little sugar
2 cups Yoghurt,
2 tsp besan,
Oil to deep fry the brinjals
1 tbsp oil,
A few curry leaves,
mustard seeds,
Whole dry red chillies,
Around 2 tbsp sugar.
 
Heat enough oil ( preferably mustard oil ) and deep fry the brinjals .

Mix the besan and sugar with the curd and add a pinch of turmeric to it. Mix well with a little water till smooth. Heat the cooking oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and chillies.
Now add the curd and cook on a low flame till it comes to a boil.
Keep stirring till you get the desired consistency ( it should not be too watery) and add the fried brinjals.
Cook for some more time

Bharli Vangi / Stuffed Eggplants

Baby Eggplants - 8
Onion - 1/2 chopped


Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
jaggery - 1 tbsp

cilantro for garnishing

Masala Mix:
Roasted peanuts - 1/3 cup
Sesame Seeds - 2 tbsp
Grated fresh coconut or dried coconut - 1 tbsp.
Goda Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Salt

Grind the above masala mix in a dry grinder. Add the tamarind and jaggery paste. If required add a little bit of water to make a dryish thick paste.

Heat oil in a large pan. Add the chopped onion and fry till transparent.

Take each eggplant and slit it open from below leaving the stem intact. Stuff the eggplants with the ground masala and add to the pan. Cook in the open pan for a few minutes on high heat gently tossing once.

Then lower the heat, add any remaining masala mix, 2 cups of water and cook covered for about 15 minutes in between turning the eggplants once. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

Baingan Masala

Small Eggplants - 6 - (each cut into 4  big quarters)
Onion - 1/2
Turmeric
Cilantro for garnishing


Mustard Seeds and Curry leaves for tempering
Garlic - 3 pods
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Clove - 4
Red chilies - 4
Jeera seeds
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Sesame Seeds - 2 tsp
Coconut - 1 tbsp. (grated)
Oil

Mixture of tamarind extract and grated jaggery

Mix the above masala and roast in a little oil till they are roasted well. Cool and grind and keep aside.
Temper oil with mustard and curry leaves. Add the chopped onions and cook till transparent. Add the eggplants and cook uncovered for 2 minutes and then covered on low flame till they are almost cooked. Add the ground masala and some tamarind jaggery. If required add a few teaspoons of water and cook till the eggplants are soft and fully cooked. Garnish with chopped  coriander leaves.