Recipes, Vegetable Forward

Baghara Baigan

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Baghara Baigan

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Serves: 4

This eggplant curry is from city of Hyderabad, Southern part of India (in a state of Telangana), and it is usually served with Biryani. It is made with small purple egg sized eggplants (known as Indian eggplants).
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Indian eggplant (8 to 10 baigan)
  • ½ lb. green chilies, spicy or mild or mix of both (8 to 10)
  • ½ cup raw peanuts
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup fresh shredded coconut
  • 15 to 20 Curry leaves
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 4 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons red chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, See note.
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish
Directions
  1. Wash eggplants and pat dry. Make an X cut on ⅓ of eggplant on stemless side, keeping the stem. Repeat the same with rest of eggplants. Wash chilies and pat dry. Keep them whole with steams, cut them in half if long.
  2. Heat a skillet or a cast iron pan. Add peanuts and roast them until very light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add sesame seeds and roast them for 30 seconds or until they start to pop. Immediately add coconut and roast until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Once it’s cooled, combine roasted peanut mixture, shallot, jalapeno or serrano chili, ginger and garlic in food processor bowl and make a thick paste. Add couple of tablespoons or more water to move the contents in food processor. Set it aside.
  3. Dissolve tamarind paste into ¼ cup of water in a small bowl and set it aside.
  4. In a frying pan, heat oil on a medium high heat until shimmering. Add eggplants and sauté them for 3 to 4 minutes until skin is light brown. Remove from oil and let excess oil drain on a wire racked sheet pan or paper towels lined plate. Lower the heat and remove extra oil from pan, leaving about ¼ cup of oil. Reserve extra oil. Sauté green chilies in oil until they start to blister, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove chilies from oil and let excess oil drain on a wire racked sheet pan or paper towels lined plate.
  5. Add more oil to frying pan to make about ¼ cup from reserved oil. Increase heat to medium high again. Once oil shimmers add cumin and mustard seeds and let them sizzle, 30 seconds. Add curry leaves, let them crisp for 40 to 50 seconds. Be careful as they will splatter oil. Add peanut mixture paste, turmeric, garam masala and chili powder. Sauté the paste with spices for 3 to 4 minutes or until you see oil separating. Add tamarind water and stir. If gravy is too thick add some water. Season the gravy with salt. Add eggplants and submerge them in gravy. Cover the pan and let eggplants cook until soft but not mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and add blistered chilies. Stir the contents and let everything cook in gravy for 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Before serving garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with Nan and/or Biryani.
Notes
Tamarind paste is readily available in Indian stores.

 

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Condiments, Recipes

Chutney

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Cilantro Chutney

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Fresh coriander or Cilantro chutney
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies or to taste
  • ½ inch piece of ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Water as needed
Directions
  1. Remove thick stems from cilantro and wash it immersing in water. Transfer into colander and wash it under running water. Let most of water drain from cilantro. Put cilantro into blender or food processor bowl. Add salt, sugar and lemon juice. Cut chilies into 2 to 3 pieces and add it. Peel ginger and cut into couple of pieces and add it. Make into smooth paste. If things do not move add little water. Makes about ¾ cup of chutney. Keep it refrigerated.
  2. You can also add roasted peanut and/or shredded coconut.

 

 

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Garlic chutney

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Ingredients
  • 8 to 10 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds
  • 3 to 4 teaspoon red chili powder
Directions
  1. Put everything into food processor and make it into fine paste.
  2. You can also add roasted peanuts, shredded coconut and roasted sesame seeds. This chutney will have coarse texture.
  3. Makes about ½ cup.

 
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Tamarind and Date Chutney

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Sweet and Sour Chutney
Ingredients
  • 10 to 12 whole pitted dates
  • 3 small pieces (golf ball size) jaggery (Indian raw sugar) or ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Water as needed
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
Directions
  1. Put dates, salt and jaggery or sugar in a small microwave safe bowl. Cover with enough water so that dates are immersed in the water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cut a 1 inch slit in the middle to escape steam. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes in the microwave. Remove the plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked dates into blender and add tamarind pulp. If there is little water left in the bowl, add more water to cover dates and blend it into smooth consistency (slightly thinner than ketchup). Taste the chutney and adjust seasoning. Pass the chutney through a fine sieve and serve cold with samosa, fritters, etc. This makes about 1 cup chutney.
  2. You can also add ¼ teaspoon each of chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to make it more flavorful.

 
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Red Pepper Chutney

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Recently we visited my husband's cousin in Atlanta. His cousin's wife Dipti made this chutney with a meal, which was really delicious. This is her recipe.
Ingredients
  • 1 14oz. jar of mild or hot Piquante peppers or roasted red peppers, drained
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika or chili powder (optional)
  • ¼ cup crumbled jaggery (Indian raw sugar) or dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender jar or food processor bowl. Process everything until smooth paste. Transfer to a serving bowl. This makes about 1½ cup chutney. This can be served with appetizers or a dip. It can last in a refrigerator up to a month.

 
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Tomato Chutney

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, ¼ inch diced
  • ½ jalapeno or serrano chili, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Directions
  1. Heat oil in a small soup pot until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add asafetida and turmeric. Add chili and sauté it for 30 to 40 seconds. Add tomatoes and season with salt and sugar. Let tomatoes cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat add cilantro and stir to combine. Can be served as a salsa. Best served with stuffed paratha.

 
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Cranberry Chutney

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Several years ago I had this chutney when I visited west coast. Ever since then I make this chutney during fall. It goes well with potato pancakes, samosas, fritters and many more.
Ingredients
  • 6 oz. fresh cranberries (1/2 of 12 oz. bag)
  • 1 8 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained
  • ½ bunch of cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, roughly chopped
  • 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ⅓ cup sugar or to taste
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl of blender or food processor. Process it until almost smooth, keeping some texture.
  2. Makes 1 cup.

 
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Kathi Chutney

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Kathi chutney is served with methi ni bhaji na gota (fenugreek green fritters), fafda (chickpea flour crisps), etc. When you buy gota or fafda from a street vendor or farsan (savory food) shop, you will also get this chutney, especially in Gujarat.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • 1 tablespoon yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Pinch of asafetida
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, cut lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
  1. Combine chickpea flour, yogurt and water in a bowl until smooth paste. Heat oil in a small pot until simmering. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add rest of the ingredients and sauté it for 30 seconds. Add chickpea flour mixture and immediately stir to avoid lumps. Keep stirring until chutney thickens, for 3 to 4 minutes. Consistency of chutney should be like ketchup. Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl. Serve it warm, if chutney thickens too much loosen with warm water. Garnish with cilantro. Makes about ½ cup.

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