Pick 'N' Cook

Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan 

( Brinjal Curry)

Ingredients

• Brinjal - 2 or 3 (small)
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 2 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Salt as needed
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
• Oil -  2 tbsp
• Kalongi seeds or mustard seeds - 1 tsp

For Masala

• Onion (large) - 1 (sliced roughly)
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• White Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Ground nuts - 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tbsp
• Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
• Coconut ( dried) - 1/4 cup (chopped or desiccated)

Method

1. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract juice.
2. Heat pan and dry roast all ingredients under for masala separately one by one in different individual temperatures. (Don't dry roast all together).
3. Cool them and make a paste by adding little water, leave aside.
4. Now, in a bowl take ginger garlic paste, mix them with turmeric, jaggery and chilli powder by adding little water, keep aside.
   
5. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, splutter kalongi seeds (replace with mustard if your don't have them).
6. Slit brinjal into 4 without removing stem.
7. Add brinjal to pan, cover and cook them till it get roasted.
   
8. Now, add grounded masala paste and cook along with brinjal.
   
9. Then, add ginger garlic, turmeric, chilli powder and jaggery paste to it and blend them together with gravy.
   
10. Add tamarind water, add required salt, mix well.
    
11. Cover and cook them for 10 minutes in high flame.
12. Serve with ghee and rice.