Dahi Baingan [Eggplant Yogurt Curry]

At last a recipe post! Are you wondering why I don’t write them anymore? It’s not that I gave up cooking new recipes, only my priorities have changed. In March, I started a monthly recipe bucket.  Well, I failed terribly. I promised four recipes but wrote about only two. Then I didn’t try another recipe bucket for next month. Reason? Certain roadblocks came and I got way off my path. But now I am back.

You must have seen the recipe for Okra Yogurt Curry. I got the idea from there to replace okra with eggplant. And a quick search on the internet led me to this simple recipe. The best part is the lack of effort needed to make it. No need to cut onions or tomatoes. Another version I make is replacing eggplant with potato wedges. I might write another post for that one in future.

This recipe for Dahi Baingan is my version of the same recipe present on Tarla Dalal’s site. Baingan is Hindi equivalent of brinjal or eggplant. And Dahi is equivalent to yogurt. The technique is to cook fried eggplant pieces in a spicy yogurt curry. The final curry tastes similar to pickles (tangy, spicy and sweet, all in one).

Dahi Baingan/ Eggplant Yogurt Curry

Dahi Baingan [Eggplant Yogurt Curry]

Print This

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 brinjal/eggplant cut in round pieces
• 1 cup whisked yogurt
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• Pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Pour 1 tbsp oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, shallow fry the brinjal pieces until they turn brown. Keep them aside.
2. Again add 1 tbsp oil in the same pan. Add in asafoetida followed by dry red chilis, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and mustard seeds. Wait till they start crackling.
3. Add turmeric powder and red chili powder to the oil and saute for two minutes. Now reduce the burner to lowest possible setting and mix in the yogurt.
4. Next, add the fried eggplant pieces and mix well.
5. Add in salt and sugar, cook for 2 minutes on medium flame.
6. Close the burner and serve hot with chapatis.

Eggplant cut into circular pieces

Shallow Fry Eggplant

After shallow frying

Adding all the seeds

Adding spices

Adding Yogurt

Eggplant Yogurt Curry