Baingan Bhaja or Begun Bhaja is a tasty appetizer made from Brinjal or Aubergine. A dish from Bengali cuisine in which Aubergine slices are marinated in spices and then pan / shallow fried to golden crispy on outside and remain soft from inside. This Brinjal fry goes well as a side dish with chapati or rice or can simply be had as a snacks.
Brinjal / Eggplant is my family favourite and i make variety of dishes with it like Baingan Bharta , Stuffed eggplant , and Brinjal Potato gravy. But my son never liked any of these dishes much, which made me try this dish from Bengali cuisine and to my surprise, he enjoyed it :) A very simple and fuss free , beginner or bachelor recipe to try out. Egg plant lovers will enjoy this for sure and even those who are not Brinjal fans can try out this side dish for a change !
Ingredients:
- 2-3 medium long eggplant
- 2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander cumin powder (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for shallow frying
- Suji / Idli rava as required
Method:
- Select long purple variety of Brinjal having less seeds for this recipe. You may use a single big eggplant or 2-3 medium ones. Rinse the eggplant well in water and cut them into 1/2 inch thick slices. Immediately place the slices in a bowl with salt water. This step prevents the eggplant slices from browning and also helps in removing the butter juices.
2. Soak the slices in this salt water for 10-15 minutes. Remove and pat dry on a kitchen towel. Place the slices in a deep dish and sprinkle all the spices and salt all over them. Mix well and marinate for 7-10 minutes.
3. Take Suji or Idli rava or rice flour on a plate and coat each slice with the flour from both the sides .
4. Heat 2 tbsp oil on a non stick pan and shallow fry the slices until golden brown and crisp from both the sides.
5. Drain the slices on a absorbent paper and serve as a side dish or snacks with some salad or raita.
