Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan with Roti and Raita

Ingredients

• 4 piecesmall brinjals (baby eggplant)
• 1 mediumonion
• 1 mediumtomato
• 0.5 mediumcucumber
• 2 tbspfresh coriander
• 1 piecegreen chilli
• 3 piecegarlic cloves
• 0.5 inchginger
• 0.75 cupwhole wheat flour (atta)
• 0.5 cupplain yogurt
• 2 tbspwhite sesame seeds
• 2 tbspdesiccated coconut (unsweetened)
• 1.5 tbsptamarind paste
• 3 tbspoil
• 1 tspghee
• 0.5 tspmustard seeds
• 0.5 tspcumin seeds
• 1 piecedried red chilli
• 8 piececurry leaves
• 0.5 tspturmeric powder
• 0.75 tspred chilli powder
• 1 tspcoriander powder
• 0.25 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.25 tsproasted cumin powder
• 0.25 tspchaat masala

Method

1. 1

   In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds and desiccated coconut separately until lightly golden and fragrant, then let them cool and grind together with a splash of water into a smooth paste — set aside.

2. 2

   Make slits in the baby brinjals from the base almost to the stem in a cross pattern, keeping them intact, then soak them in salted water while you prep the rest.

3. 3

   In a wide pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat and fry the finely sliced onion until deep golden brown, about 8 minutes, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and fry for another minute.

4. 4

   Add the chopped tomato, turmeric, red chilli powder, and coriander powder, and cook until the tomato breaks down and oil starts to separate, about 3–4 minutes.

5. 5

   Stir in the sesame-coconut paste and tamarind paste, mix well, then add 0.5 cup water and let the gravy simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens slightly.

6. 6

   Pat the brinjals dry, heat 1 tbsp oil in a separate small pan, and lightly pan-fry the brinjals on all sides for 2–3 minutes until they start to colour, then nestle them into the simmering gravy.

7. 7

   Cover and cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes, gently turning once, until the brinjals are completely tender and have absorbed the gravy — stir in garam masala and adjust salt.

8. 8

   While the brinjals cook, make the roti dough: mix atta with a pinch of salt and enough water to form a soft, smooth dough, rest for 5 minutes, then roll into 2 thin rounds and cook on a hot tawa (griddle) with a little ghee until brown spots appear on both sides.

9. 9

   For the raita, grate or finely dice the cucumber and mix into the yogurt with roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, a pinch of salt, and chopped coriander.

10. 10

    Do a quick tadka for the curry: heat a tiny splash of oil in a small pan, splutter the mustard seeds, then add cumin seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves and pour this sizzling tempering over the bagara baingan before serving.

11. 11

    Serve the bagara baingan hot with the rotis on the side and the cucumber raita in a small bowl, garnished with fresh coriander.