Looking for a brinjal curry for biryani? Then try this delicious Bagara Baingan recipe. It is a scrumptious Hyderabadi style recipe that is nutty, tangy and packed with flavor.
Baby eggplants are simmered in a spicy peanut sauce until soft and delicious. Great to serve with veg biryani or even naan.
Table of contents
About the Recipe
Hyderabadi cuisine is very famous for its biryanis and other rich and delicious Mughal & Nizam influenced dishes. Hyderabadi dum biryani is a delicacy that has to be enjoyed to describe its taste. But being an eggplant lover, my favorite dish is this bagara baingan curry.
This is a 100% vegan dish that is nutty and absolutely delicious. Bhagare baingan was a standard item on all of the wedding menus and other special occasions when I was growing up. That is not the case these days, but you can easily make the dish at home with my recipe.
Baby eggplants are simmered in a creamy, spicy peanut-sesame sauce until nice and tender. This is a dish that has lots of flavors - it's spicy, tangy, slightly sweet. So achieving that balance is the key. I would suggest tasting the curry as you go, to get make the right balance.
Ingredients
For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.
Here are the ingredients you need to make the bagara baingan masala:
- Baby Eggplant - Purple variety and choose smallish ones that are blemish-free.
- For the Sauce/ Gravy:
- Nuts & Seeds - Peanuts, sesame & poppy seeds, dry grated coconut
- Spices - Whole Coriander seeds
- Dry red chilies
- Onion, ginger and garlic
- Tamarind - for some tanginess
- Turmeric and salt
Instructions
For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.
Here is how to make Hyderabadi bagara baingan recipe:
Make the Masala
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Dry roast the peanuts until lightly browned on all sides. Transfer them to a medium-size bowl.
In the same pan, dry roast coriander, sesame, poppy seeds, dry red chilies and dry coconut until browned and aromatic, about 1~2 minutes. Add the seeds to the peanuts. Let the mixture cool, grind to a smooth paste adding little water.
Heat oil in the skillet on medium heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until they turn lightly browned all over. Let them cool slightly, then grind into a smooth paste.
Prep Eggplant
- Keep the crown intact and make a slit ¾th of the way through the eggplant by making a '+' on the bottom.
- In the same pan used to make the masala, heat 1~2 teaspoons more oil. Add the eggplants and cover and cook until their skins blister and they are fork-tender, about 8~10 minutes. Remove onto a plate and set aside.
Make Bagara Baigan
Heat oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add mustard, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Once the seeds splutter, add the browned onions and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the peanut-coconut paste along with ½ cup of water. Reduce the flame to medium-low and cook. Stir in the cooked eggplant, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the eggplants have absorbed the flavors from the gravy. Turn off the heat and the curry is ready!!
Bagare Baingan pairs well with biryani. It can also be served with simple roti or naan.
Expert Tips
- You can use either Indian or Thai purple baby eggplants. Choose small, evenly sized ones.
- Though not traditional, medium size Italian or Japanese eggplants can also be used. Slice these into long thin pieces and use.
- Prep the eggplants just before making the curry. If not, they will oxidize and turn dark.
- Blanched peanuts without skins are best for this recipe, because they are very convenient. But feel free to use regular peanuts.
- You can make the gravy up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to cook, add it to the dish as written in the recipe.
- Note that the gravy thickens as it sits, so add water and heat it through before serving.
- Store leftover baghare baingan in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
You might also like
Here are a few more Hyderabadi recipes that you might like:
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Recipe Card
Bagara Baingan | Hyderabadi Baby Eggplant Curry
Ingredients
For the Peanut-Sesame Sauce/ Gravy:
- 3 tablespoons Peanuts (use the ones without skins, if available)
- 1 teaspoon Whole Coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons Sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoons Poppy seeds
- 3~4 Dry Red Chilies, broken
- 3 tablespoons Dry Coconut
- 2 teaspoons Oil
- 1 Small Onion, chopped
- 1" Ginger, chopped
- 2~3 Garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- To taste Salt
For Bagara Baingan:
- 10~12 Baby Eggplants, slit ¾ of the way through by making an 'X' on the bottom
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 6~8 Curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
- 1~2 teaspoons Jaggery
Instructions
Make the Peanut-Sesame Sauce:
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Dry roast the peanuts until lightly browned on all sides, about 3~4 minutes. Transfer them to a medium-size bowl.In the same pan, dry roast coriander, sesame, poppy seeds, dry red chilies and dry coconut until browned and aromatic, about 1~2 minutes. Add the seeds to the peanuts. Let the mixture cool, grind to a smooth paste adding little water.
- Heat oil in the skillet on medium heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until they turn lightly browned all over, about 5~6 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then grind into a smooth paste.
Prep the Eggplant:
- Keep the crown intact and make a slit ¾th of the way through the eggplant by making a '+' on the bottom.
- In the same pan used to make the masala, heat 1~2 teaspoons more oil. Add the eggplants and cover and cook until their skins blister and they are fork-tender, about 8~10 minutes. Remove onto a plate and set aside.
Make Bagara Baingan:
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add mustard, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Cook for 5~10 seconds. Once the seeds splutter, add the browned onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the peanut-coconut paste along with ½ cup of water. Reduce the flame to medium-low and cook for 3~4 minutes. Stir in the cooked eggplant, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the eggplants have absorbed the flavors from the gravy, about 8~10 minutes. Turn off the heat and the curry is ready!!
Video
Notes
- You can use either Indian or Thai purple baby eggplants. Choose small, evenly sized ones.
- Though not traditional, medium size Italian or Japanese eggplants can also be used. Slice these into long thin pieces and use.
- Prep the eggplants just before making the curry. If not, they will oxidize and turn dark.
- Blanched peanuts without skins are best for this recipe, because they are very convenient. But feel free to use regular peanuts.
- You can make the gravy up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to cook, add it to the dish as written in the recipe.
- Note that the gravy thickens as it sits, so add water and heat it through before serving.
- Store leftover baghare baingan in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
vaishali sabnani
Tempting clicks..and a flavorful dish..wish could grab some.
Kalyani
what a stunner of a recipe - and delicious gravy too 🙂 we are not that into eggplants, but this looks worth a real try !
Archana Potdar
Your pics are so stunning I am finding it difficult to concentrate on the recipe.Seriously with a stunner of a recipe you should not be allowed to post equally stunning pics. Will come back after i munch on something and read the recipe.
Archana Potdar
I tried commenting after I had my snack but there was connectivity problems. I love the recipe Pavani its awesome.
Nisha Sundar
Lovely recipe. I stopped making brinjal dishes as no one else at home likes it. Should ask them to look at yours for lil inspiration. 😉
Rajani S
The baingan looks good and the clicks are great...
Saras
Scrumptious Curry..Looks very appealing..
Susan
The ingredient list for the Bagara Baingan section does not match the instructions. The cumin and fenugreek seeds are not in the ingredient list, but are in the instructions. The mustard seeds, tamarind paste and jaggery are on the ingredient list, but are not in the instructions. I used 1 tsp each of cumin and fenugreek seeds and added them with the black mustard seeds and the curry leaves for 5- 10 seconds in the oil before adding the eggplants. I added the tamarind paste and 1 tsp raw cane sugar to the paste when it was in the pot. I did not grind the red chilies – I meant to put them whole in the pot, but forgot. Very good, though could have ground thee paste more so it was smoother.
cookshideout
Hi Susan, thank you for letting me know about the missing ingredients. Cumin seeds in the instructions was a typo, it should be mustard seeds and I added fenugreek seeds in the ingredient list. Cumin seeds can also be used but traditionally only mustard seeds are used in this dish. A sweetener is a great addition - balances the spicy and tangy flavors.