The Vah Chefs Bagara Baingan

Brinjals cooked in the peanut and sesame gravy

Sorry Ladies..was on a long vacation..My DH celebrated my birthday in LA n Sandiego...A very memorable day as it being my first birthday after my marriage....:)

So here comess yet another gr8 dish on ur platter...

Bagara Baingan...A delicious Hyderabadi dish, served mostly in all the occasions...gr8 combination with biriyani or bagara rice...I love the way my aunt cooks this dish...the gravy in this can be used to make capscicum masala , mushroom masala and yes  mixed veg masala...too

I call this as vah chefs Bagara brinjal as i have taken a few tips from the Vah chef show of frying the brinjals...and followed with my own recipe...
The combo with rice goes good when served as bagara baingan or as capsicum masala....

Ingredients:
Baby brinjals/Regular small brinjals - 7-8
Peanuts - 1 cup
Sesame seeds - 4-5 Tbsp
Corriander seeds - 1 Tbsp
Bay leaf - 2-3
Cloves - 4
Cinammon - 1 whole
Cardamom - 3
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Dry coconut Powder - 2 tsp / 1" piece of dry coconut piece (optional)
Onions - 2
green chillies - 2
Cumin and Coriander powder - 3 Tsp each
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp ( I love spicy..so i add even more :))
Small Lemon sized tamarind - 1
Oil for frying and for cooking
Salt

Method:

1. Wash the brinjals and clean them with a clean napkin. Set aside a pan for shallow frying the brinjals. Once they are 80 % cooked. take them out from the pan and place it on a paper napkin.

2. Meanwhile in a pan roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut and coriander seeds to a smooth paste. If possible add little oil to get a smoother paste. Soak tamarind in 1 cup of warm water and extract the pulp when it becomes soft.

3. In another pan, take 3 tbsp of oil and add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon. When they splutter, add finely chopped onions and slit green chillies. Once the onions become transparent, add ginger-garlic paste. fry for a minute.

4. Now add the above peanut paste to the masala. Add a cup of tamarind water and mix gently. Let it cook for about 10 minutes.

5. You will notice that the gravy starts getting thick. Add cumin, coriander and chilli powders. Mix well by adding sufficient salt.
Tip : If the gravy becomes too thick - add water little by little.


6. Now add the cooked brinjals in the gravy...and cook for about 5 minutes. Cook till u get a good consistency ...Garnish with coriander and serve hot with Biriyani or jeera rice.