Eggplant Curry (Bagaara Baingan)
Indian-style eggplant curry with a sweet-and-sour flavor and aromatic spices, typically served as a side dish or pickle.
Ingredients
eggplant
1 medium (1 pound)
ground turmeric
1 teaspoon
salt (divided)
2 teaspoons
vegetable oil (divided)
¾ cup
yellow onion (halved and cut into thin crescents (1½ cups))
1 large
fresh ginger (peeled and cut into slivers)
3-inch piece (3 ounces)
toasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons
ground cumin
2 teaspoons
ground coriander
2 teaspoons
ground dried red chilies
2 teaspoons
unsweetened desiccated coconut (finely grated)
½ cup
brown sugar
½ cup
tamarind paste
1 teaspoon
sesame oil
1 teaspoon
Instructions
1
Prepare eggplant
Cut off the stem and tail ends of the eggplant, halve lengthwise, cut each half into 3 long strips, then cut crosswise in half to get 12 pieces. Place in a colander, sprinkle with the turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt, toss to combine, and let stand for 30 minutes to drain.
2
Cook aromatics and spices
Heat ½ cup of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add the ginger and sauté until the onion turns golden, 4–5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and remaining salt, and stir-fry 4–5 minutes until the spices darken and become fragrant. Remove from heat.
3
Cook eggplant
Pat the eggplant pieces dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer over the spices in the pan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes. Add the coconut and simmer 3 minutes, adding a little oil if the pan begins to stick. Increase to medium heat, add the brown sugar and tamarind paste, and stir-fry 1½–2 minutes until the sugar melts. Add the remaining oil and cook 3 minutes. The eggplant should be tender and lightly coated with oil but not sitting in oil.
4
Finish and serve
Drizzle with the sesame oil. Let rest for at least 2 hours to develop flavor. Serve at room temperature with rice.
