Thursday, August 14, 2014

Bagara Baingan (Traditional Andhra Recipe)



Ingredients:
15 nos - small & tender brinjals
2 1/2 Cups - Onions (Finely Chopped as seen in the Picture)
1/2 Cup - Peanuts
2 Tbsp - Sesame seeds
2 Tsp - Poppy seeds
2 Tsp - Coriander seeds
1 Tsp - Cumin seeds
2 inch - Cinnamon stick
2 Tbsp - grated or dried Coconut
2 inch piece - Ginger
10 - Garlic cloves (6-8 if the cloves are big)
1/2 Tsp - Turmeric powder
1 Tsp - Red chilli powder
2 Tsp - Jaggery, grated
Tamarind pulp from a lemon sized tamarind ball
2 Tbsp - Oil
10 - Curry leaves
Salt as Required

Serves 10 - 12 people

Procedure:
1) Wash the brinjal and slit them into 4 stopping an inch before you get to the stem end.
2) Heat up a pan and dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander, cumin seeds, grated coconut and cinnamon stick separately one after the other in medium flame till they are evenly browned. Allow them to cool for a few minutes.
3) Heat up a clean pan with a tablespoon of oil and fry onions with salt till the moisture is absorbed completely.
4) Once all the roasted and fried items are cooled, grind them together to a fine thick paste along with 3/4th of the cooked onions, ginger, garlic, tamarind extract, turmeric powder and a little water to help the blending process.
5) Stuff about a teaspoon of the paste into the slits of the brinjal carefully.
6) Heat the remaining oil in a deep saucepan, sauté the curry leaves and carefully add the stuffed brinjals to the pan. Cover the pan and let them cook for about 10 mins, until they soften. Rotate them every few minutes so they cook evenly.
7) Reduce the stove to medium, add the rest of the masala paste and red chilli powder. Dilute them with water to form a thin gravy and add salt to taste.
8 ) Cook on medium heat until the eggplants are cooked through and the oil starts to separate from the masala and collect around the edges.
9) Serve warm with mild jeera rice, pulao or phulka.

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