Borani Banjan Recipe

Borani Banjan is a delicious Afghani eggplant dish. A simple recipe with layers of roasted eggplant, tomato and tomato sauce. Once baked, the vegetables get scrumptious and melt in the mouth.

Top eggplant borani with a simple garlicky yogurt and serve with flatbread and enjoy!! Do try this easy Afghan vegetarian recipe, I am sure you will love it.

About the recipe

Afghani cuisine is very similar to Indian cuisine especially in the use of spices and the wide variety of vegetables in the dishes. Afghanistan is located on the historically important trade route called the Silk route/ Silk Road. The trading communities on that route have a huge influenced on their cuisine.

Borani bademjan is one of the popular Afghani vegetarian dishes. It is made with fried eggplant and served topped with thick yogurt seasoned liberally with fresh garlic and mint.

There are 2 ways of making this delicious dish. First one is to simmer the deep fried eggplant in the tomato sauce. In the second version, the fried eggplant and tomato sauce are layered and then baked until bubbly and golden.

I am sharing the second version here. It reminds me a lot of Italian Eggplant Parmesan without the cheese.

My love for eggplants won't let me miss any of the eggplant dishes from any part of the world. So when I tasted delicious borani banjan at an Afghani restaurant, I knew I had to try it at home.

Serve borani banjan with Afghan naan flatbread. But it is also great to serve with Kabuli pulao.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here are the ingredients you need to make this banjan borani recipe:

• Eggplant:
  • Long Chinese eggplant are best to use in this recipe.
  • Italian eggplants would also work great. They have less seeds, less watery and are more flavorful than the globe variety.
  • Alternately use Indian or Thai baby eggplants. Cut them into thin slices and use them.
• Tomatoes ~ I use vine ripe tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Salt & Pepper

Here are the ingredients you need to make the tomato sauce:

• Tomato paste ~ gives a nice intense tomato flavor to the sauce. Fresh tomatoes are a good substitute for tomato paste.
• Spices - Curry powder, paprika, salt and turmeric.
• Garlic
• Vegetable broth

You also need thick yogurt to make the garlicky yogurt topping. Greek yogurt is my go-to for this because it is naturally thick and I always have it in my fridge.

Dried mint is sprinkled on top as a garnish for the dish. Feel free to sub it with fresh chopped mint.

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 eggplant borani banjan recipe:

Prep Eggplant

Cut eggplant into ⅓" thick slices on a bias.

Arrange the eggplant slices on 2 baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Broil on both sides until soft and golden brown. Set aside. Turn the oven down to 375°F.

Make tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned and fragrant. Make sure to not burn the garlic.

Add tomato paste, turmeric, curry powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened.

Layer to make banjan borani

Pour ⅓ of the tomato sauce in a 9"x13" baking pan or into individual baking dishes and spread it across the bottom. Arrange ⅓ of the eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Sprinkle half of the cilantro over the eggplants and then layer half of the tomato slices evenly over the eggplant.

Pour on the other ⅓ of the sauce. Repeat with ⅓ of the eggplant, remaining cilantro and tomato slices. Finish the dish with the remaining eggplant, drizzling the last ⅓ of the sauce making sure to cover all the veggies.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 20~30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly; then remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving. Top with garlic yogurt just before serving.

Make garlic yogurt

Mix minced garlic in the yogurt, season with salt & pepper.

Pour the garlic yogurt over the baked eggplant and sprinkle with lot of dried mint. Serve with pita or naan bread.

Expert Tips

• Best eggplants to use in the recipe are the long Chinese eggplant. Make sure to choose medium size ones for the best texture. Medium size Italian eggplants will also work great.
• Instead of broiling the eggplant, you can pan fry them in oil until golden and soft.
• Substitute tomato paste in the sauce with 2 medium ripe chopped tomatoes.
• You can also simmer the cooked eggplant slices in the tomato sauce for 20~30 minutes until silky and delicious.
• Alternately, skip the baking part and serve Borani Banjan by layering the roasted eggplant on the serving plate. Top with tomato sauce and yogurt sauce.
• Store leftover baingan borani in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

You might also like

Here are a few more delicious vegetarian Afghan 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