Bagara Baingan:(Hyderabadi Style)

Dum ki Baingan. Hyderabad Baingan ki Salan. Dhum ki Baingan. Vengaya Pulusu (Hyderabad Style).

Rich Egg Plant Gravy. Egg Plant in Rich Creamy Peanut Sauce. Egg Plant I rich creamy peanut-Sesame Sauce. Brinjal in Groundnut gravy. Rich Brinjal Serwa. Nawab Style Kathirikkai Curry.

Bahara Baingan is an other traditional dish, that stole my heart. Initially I associated ‘Bahara Baingan’ with ‘Arcot Brinjal Sheruva’ and ‘Vellore Yennai Kathirikkai’…since all these dishes, sound very similar to me, with very little differences in the preparation tho’! However Sheruva is accompained with Biriyani!! Later I came to know that Bahara Baingan is not served with Biriyani!Bahara Baingan is one of popular dish in the city, a good blend of local influence with mughal touch…made it perfect to relish!!!

Ingredients:

Small even sized Purple/violet Eggplants 6 (brinjal/ Baingan)
Onion 1 small – made into paste
Ginger paste 1 spoon
Garlic paste 1 spoon
Tomato puree 2 cups
Peanuts/ground nuts 1 cup
White sesame seeds 1 cup
Tamarind ¼ spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder ¼ spoon
Chili powder 1- 2 spoons
Green chilies 3 slitted
Black pepper ½ spoon
Cumin seeds ½ spoon
Mustard seeds ½ spoon
Curry leaves few
Sesame oil 1 cup.

Mehtod:

Toast peanuts and sesame seeds separately and wet grind it to thick paste. Set them aside.

In a large, deep wok, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin and black pepper to it. Let them pop and splutter well.

Add green chilies and curry leaves too. Let it turn crispy.

Now add onion paste and sauté it for few minutes. Then followed by ginger + garlic paste. Fry them real good, maybe till its raw smell leaves.

Add salt, turmeric and chili powder and fry for few seconds. Add slitted eggplants(brinjal) now and fry them for few minutes. Maybe till the oil coats on it and purple color turns to burned smoke color.

Now add tomato puree to this, cover and cook over medium heat.

When the eggplant(brinjal) is almost done, add tamarind pulp, ground peanuts and sesame paste to it. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes. Then remove from stove and transfer this gravy to ‘Display Vessel’.

Serve warm as a side gravy for Biriyani, Pilaf or Pulav or any mild flavoured rice.