Bagare Baigun (aubergine)


  Ingredients
  200 gms baby aubergines washed and slit lengthwise or 200gms of round aubergine cut into medium size pieces.
  2 tb sps finely chopped onions
  1t sp finely chopped ginger
  2t sps finely chopped garlic
  1 chopped tomato or 1 tb sp tomato puree
  1 1/2 panch puran (mix mustard seeds, saumph/ fennel, methi seeds/ fenugreek seeds, jeera/ cumin, kalonji/ onion seeds in equal quantities)
  1/2 t sp haldi/ turmeric
  2 tsps dhania/ coriander powder
  chilli powder to taste
  a good pinch of asafoetida
  salt to taste
  3 t sps tamrind paste/ 1 heaped t sp of amchur/ mango powder
  2 tb sps cooking oil
  coriander, ginger julliens, green chillies for garnishing

       Method
  • Heat oil in a kadai or frypan. 
  • Add panch puran and when it begins to splutter add asaphoetida.
  • Add chopped onions and fry till golden brown but still soft.
  • Add ginger and garlic and fry well.
  • Add dry masalas and cook till the raw smell goes.
  • Now add the baigun, mix well with the masala, add salt and cover with a tight fitting lid, lower heat.
  • Let it cook in its own steam for 5 minutes turning once or twice.Sprinkle little water if dry.
  • Take off the cover and add tomato or tomato puree and mix well. Cook till tomatoes are soft and blended with the masala.
  • Test if the baigun is cooked , if not cover for a few more minutes.
  • Add the tamrind paste/ amchur, cover and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Serve in a flat dish garnished with chopped coriander, ginger julliens and slit green chillies.
  • Goes well with rotis, puris or rice and daal.
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