Baingan Ka Salan

Ingredients

• • Oil - 2 tablespoons
• • Eggplant - 500 grams
• • Peanuts - 1 tablespoon
• • Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
• • Coconut powder - 1 tablespoon
• • Oil - 2 tablespoons
• • Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• • Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• • Fenugreek seeds - ½ teaspoon
• • Kalonjis - ¼ teaspoon
• • Onions (chopped) - 1 cup
• • Whole dried red chillies - 4
• • Green chillies - 2
• • Ginger-garlic paste - 2 teaspoons
• • Salt - as required
• • Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
• • Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
• • Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
• • Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• • Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1 tablespoon
• • Curd - 2 tablespoons

Method

• 1. Silt eggplants into four, keeping the pieces still attached to the stem.
• 2. Heat oil and fry slit eggplants.
• 3. When eggplants change their colour, remove them from the pan and drain oil on paper towel. Keep aside.
• 4. Dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut powder until golden brown.
• 5. Remove peanut/sesame seeds/coconut mixture from heat and blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• 6. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and kalonji.
• 7. When the seeds start to crackle, add sliced onions and whole dry red chillies and saute until onions becomes translucent.
• 8. Add salt, green chilly, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and coriander powder.
• 9. Add the grounded peanut/sesame seeds/coconut paste. Add half a cup of water.
• 10. Cover and let it simmer on low flame for 30 minutes.
• 11. After 30 minutes, the oil will separate from curry and will float on top. The curry will also reduce.
• 12. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves.
• 13. Whisk curd in a bowl. Add curd to the curry and combine.
• 14. Add fried eggplants and cook for another 5 minutes.
• 15. Serve hot with roti or biryani.