Bagara Baingan, a dish from the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, is made by simmering small eggplants in a spicy peanut and coconut curry sauce until they are butter-soft. The sauce has a vivid interplay of sweet, tangy, salty and spicy flavors.
Table of Contents
What is bagara baingan?
Bagara Baingan is a tasty south Indian dish of small Indian eggplants or brinjals in a creamy, spicy peanut, coconut and tamarind sauce. It originated in Andhra Pradesh, a state that was once ruled by Muslim rulers called nizams who, more formally, called this dish "baghar-e-baingan" or "baghare baingan," with "baghar" being the tempering for the sauce, and "baingan" being eggplants.
The nizams - or rather their hard-working and creative cooks - evolved a rich and distinctive cuisine that put Andhra Pradesh (then called the princely state of Hyderabad) on India's culinary map. Thanks to them, we can today enjoy such delicious recipes as Hyderabadi biryani.
Nizami food was meat-heavy but it included alluring vegetarian dishes, like mirch ka salan and this bagara baingan. These were usually served as sides with the meat entree. But bagara baingan is hearty enough to hold its own for a meal, especially when paired with rotis or with flavorful, protein-rich Indian flatbreads like besan roti or methi paratha.
Recipe card
Bagara Baingan
Ingredients
- 12 Indian eggplants
- 1 red onion (finely chopped)
- 2 sprigs (about 24) curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon jaggery (or sugar)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
For the curry paste
- 1 red onion (chopped)
- ½ cup raw peanuts
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds or methi seeds
- ½ cup grated coconut
Instructions
Prep the eggplants
- Make two slits, crosswise, on the non-stem side of the eggplant, stopping short of making a clean cut, so the eggplant holds together at the base. Immediately immerse the eggplants in water so they don't turn brown.
- Heat four tablespoons oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplants and fry them for 3-4 minutes, turning them around to ensure they fry evenly. Remove the eggplants to a plate lined with paper towels and pour the remaining oil into a bowl or jar for use in another recipe. The eggplants won't be fully tender but that's okay. They will continue to cook in the sauce.
Make the curry paste
- To the skillet (after removing the eggplants and oil), add the onions and a pinch of salt. Saute the onions until brown spots appear. Add peanuts and saute them for another minute.
- Add the sesame seeds and mix them in, then add coconut and mix it in too. Saute until the coconut has colored lightly. Keep a close eye because coconut can burn easily. Remove this masala to a plate. When it has cooled a bit, place in a blender with ½ cup water and blend into a smooth paste.
Make bagara baingan
- In a pot heat a tablespoon of the oil from frying the eggplants. Add mustard seeds and when they sputter add the cumin. You can use the same skillet used for frying the eggplant and the onions.
- Add onions and curry leaves. Add ½ teaspoon salt and saute until onions are soft. Then add ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, garam masala and turmeric. Mix well and saute for a minute.
- Stir in the ginger garlic paste, followed by the blended curry paste and tamarind. Mix well, then add in two cups water and mix again. Stir in the jaggery and let the sauce come to a boil. Continue to simmer the sauce, covered, until some darker liquid pools at the top. This indicates the raw ingredients are cooked. It should take about 10 minutes.
- Add the reserved eggplants to the sauce and mix in. Cover and continue to cook another 10 minutes or until the eggplants are very tender. Stir in the cilantro, check salt and add more as needed, and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
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Ingredient notes
- Eggplants. You will need to source small, round eggplants from an Indian store or an Asian store. If you can't find the purple eggplants, you can use small, green Thai eggplants. Pick tiny eggplants - no more than two inches long, even smaller is better. The eggplants should be firm with bright skin and no dents or brown spots.
- Herbs: curry leaves and cilantro.
- Spices: mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric and cayenne (or any red chilli powder).
- Ginger garlic paste. If you don't have ginger garlic paste, blend four cloves of garlic and a 1-inch knob of ginger for this recipe.
- Tamarind paste. This adds a bit of tang and rich sweetness to the dish.
- Jaggery. Jaggery adds a hint of sweetness that's irresistible with eggplants. You can substitute it with sugar.
For the spice blend
- Red onions. You can substitute with yellow or white onions but red onions are preferred.
- Peanuts. Use raw peanuts. These add creaminess to the sauce, along with the sesame seeds.
- Sesame seeds. These, like the peanuts, add creaminess and nuttiness to the sauce.
- Fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek seeds are bitter, but they add complexity to the sweet, salty and tangy flavors we have going on here. Add no more than ¼th of a teaspoon.
- Grated coconut. You can use freshly grated coconut or use the frozen coconut found in the frozen aisle of the Indian grocery store.
Step by step instructions with photos
Make two slits, crosswise, in the eggplants, cutting about ¾ths of the way down but not all the way through. Put the eggplants in a bowl of water right away to keep them from turning brown.
Heat four tablespoons oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplants and fry them for 3-4 minutes, turning them around to ensure they fry evenly. Remove the eggplants to a plate lined with paper towels and pour the remaining oil into a bowl or jar for use in another recipe. The eggplants won't be fully tender but that's okay. They will continue to cook in the sauce.
To the skillet (after removing the oil), add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté the onions until brown spots appear.
Add peanuts and sauté them for another minute.
Add the sesame seeds and mix them in.
Add coconut to the skillet and mix it in.
Sauté until the coconut has colored lightly. Keep a close eye because coconut can burn easily. Remove this masala to a plate. When it has cooled a bit, place in a blender with ½ cup water and blend into a smooth paste.
In a pot heat a tablespoon of the oil from frying the eggplants. Add mustard seeds and when they sputter add the cumin. You can use the same skillet used for frying the onions but I changed because I didn't want to add tamarind to my cast-iron kadhai.
Add onions and curry leaves. Add ½ teaspoon salt and saute until onions are soft.
Add ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne, garam masala and turmeric. Mix well and saute for a minute.
Stir in the ginger garlic paste.
Add the coconut-sesame-seed paste and tamarind.
Mix well, then add in two cups water and mix again.
Stir in the jaggery and let the sauce come to a boil.
Continue to simmer the sauce, covered, until some darker liquid pools at the top. This indicates the raw ingredients are cooked. It should take about 10 minutes.
Add the reserved eggplants to the sauce and mix in. Cover and continue to cook another 10 minutes or until the eggplants are very tender. Check salt and add more as needed.
Stir in the cilantro.
Mix everything well and serve the bagara baingan hot.
Serve
Bagara baingan is often eaten with biryani, and you can serve it with a vegan biryani like vegetable biryani, keema biryani or cauliflower biryani. I often serve it with a dal, like this dal tadka and basmati rice, or with roti or vegan naan.
Recipe FAQs
You can use Japanese eggplants or Chinese eggplants to make bagara baingan. Cut the eggplant into long slices of about 2 inches by an inch.
If you can't eat peanuts but can eat other nuts, substitute with raw cashews. If you are nut-free, use pumpkin seeds or melon seeds instead of the peanuts.
Bagara baingan tastes even better when it has had time to stand for a day or two. You can make it up to four days ahead of serving, or refrigerate it for four days after making it. Freeze for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or a saucepan before serving.
The sauce for bagara baingan has to be thick but still fluid, like a cake batter. The peanuts absorb water quickly so if it's too still too thick after you have added two cups of water, you can add some more water to thin it out.
More Indian eggplant recipes
First published June 23, 2009. Updated and re-published on Sept. 13, 2024.
Vaishali says
Happy, thanks.
RC-- I too use stainless steel pans for most everyday cooking, but the cast iron really helps with any kind of low-fat cooking.
Madhuram, Thanks. Hope you try it!
Justin: Thanks. This curry would go very well with, say, potatoes, or even green peppers. You don't have to stuff them-- just add the veggies, stir-fry them first, and then add the ground masala paste and cook per the recipe.
I wouldn't try any veggie that'd give out too much water, however.
Justin says
the curry looks so amazing, like it would go with a lot of things in addition to eggplant
Madhuram says
That's a lot of useful information about cast iron skillets which I was not aware. Thanks Vaishali. Let me also make the best use of it.
The dish looks very good. I have some baby eggplants in the fridge. I have not tried this type of stuffing.
Red Chillies says
I am not a fan of non-stick pans either. Agreed that they use less oil, but I had to throw them out every so often. I use stainless steel though and for chapathis/dosas I use the cast iron ones.
Loved your version of bharleli vaingan.
Happy cook says
I have never mad ethis home; This looks so creamy delcious.
Happy cook says
I have never mad ethis home; This looks so creamy delcious.
Vaishali says
Parita, Pavithra, Thanks.
Charanya, Welcome! Glad you find the site useful.
Cilantro, you're right, they do last a lifetime and even for generations, I believe. They're quite indestructible.
Pooja, Thanks, and glad the information was useful. Of course, the cleaning methods I talked about apply to pans that have already been well-seasoned. A new pan will require more intensive care and regular seasoning.
Lou, I do adore eggplants-- a little too much, in fact 🙂 Eggplant grilled with onions and tomatoes sounds delicious.
Priya, am I that transparent? 🙂 But you're right -- it was a ploy to get in another eggplant recipe!
Maria, sure, you shouldn't cook highly acidic foods in large quantities in cast-iron cookware. But adding a little bit isn't a problem. I've often added some tomatoes to a dish I cooked in cast-iron, or squirted some lemon juice on, and I've had no problems.
Soma, I have that huge grill too, and it's wonderful. And you're right-- these do last for a long, long time.
I gotta get myself a real true-blue Kadhai next time I'm in India.
Sunshinemom, thanks, and yes, the eggplants do taste great with phulkas.
Vanamala, Pavani, thanks.
Jaya, I tend to buy Lodge too-- it's the best around, i believe, although I do have a couple of skillets from other brands and they work as good. I didn't know they had a tava-- gotta get that!
Hope your hubby likes the baghare baingan.
Superchef, Dips, Sharmila, Priya: Thanks, ladies.
Kahliyalogue: Yes, seasoning means to coat with a light film of oil and then place it over very high heat or preferably in an oven for about an hour. You need to use an oil with a high smoking point, like peanut or canola oil, or even better, some vegetable shortening.
After each use in the beginning, scrape the skillet clean, wipe off with a kitchen towel, and then apply a light film of oil and place on the stove top until it is hot. Turn off the heat, cool, and then store.
You might need to do the longer, oven-seasoning step a couple more times when the skillet is new.
Hope that helps 🙂
Miri, you're right. As time goes by, we find out that some old ideas are still the best ones around 🙂
Nithya, Thanks, and glad you found the post useful.
Bindiya, thanks.
Hema,Your grandma's method of cleaning sounds really good, and one I'm going to try next time I make dosas. Thanks for sharing.
caribbeanvegan says
Beautiful site. I am from the Caribbean but I cook loads of indian style dishes. I love cast iron skillets are you can beat them up and you do not have to feel so guilty. When you have time stop by my blog .
Tay
Hema says
You are totally right about the cast iron skillets. They are a very healthy choice indeed. My grandma insists on cooking with iron and copper vessels than aluminium or stainless steel, becoz they give the food the essentials like Fe and Cu. And you know the easiest way she tells me to clean.. when its all very hot from the stove, take a dosa spatula with sharp ends and scrape off the oil remains sticking to the ends. This will take care of the cleaning for atleast a month. I remember one of our iron kadai, totally rusted due lack of drying. So my mom now takes extra care to dry them in the sun, or atleast leave it in the hot stove for a couple of minutes so that the moisture is all gone.. your baghare baigan is perfect.. Thanks for visiting my blog :))
bindiya says
Hey Vaishali, this recipe looks sooo good I wish I could have some right now!
Nithya Praveen says
Eggplants are my fav vegetables....any kind/version makes me happy.I hv never used iron skillets...am so obsessed with my nonstick cookware.My husband helps me with the utensils after dinner....i never let him even touch any nonstick vessels....huh! I guess am too obsessed,the cleaning bit is sumtng i hate.I shud hunt for iron skillets now...ur post made me think.Thanks for the idea Vishali.
Miri says
Its funny how we turn full circle don't we?! 🙂
The baghara baingan is one of my favourite and is very similar to the Mirchi ka salan recipe...
kahliyalogue says
Vaishali!
Thank you so much for this info about cast iron pans..this just sounds so right to me!I wish to do the same!What do you mean by seasoning the pan-just oiling it?Like with olive oil?Is there anything to watch out for when I purchase them?Any different kinds..?I am so happy to learn this.. I also love this eggplant recipe,I am a huge fan of eggplants,so this is a keeper!
Thanx! 🙂
Priya says
Wow Wat a delicious and tempting baingan dish Vaishali..mouthwatering yaa!
Sharmila says
I have a couple of these kadhais and they are wonderful .. not like those delicate non stick ones that peel at the slightest negligence ... and turn useless. But some say that they should not be used to cook anything sour.
Love that baghare baingan. 🙂
Dips says
hey..great recipe..my pakistani friend taught it to me and its really delicious...
I gotta try those cast-iron pans soon...my culinary shopping list keeps getting longer !
Superchef says
ive just made this once..but have always loved it! delicious!
Jaya Wagle says
Not a big fan of baingan but your recipe makes me wanna try it. Hubby loves it, so this weekend Baghare Baingan it is :).
BTW I too bought my first cast iron pan after reading an article about harmful effects of non-stick pans. My research on the net said the made in USA Lodge cast iron pans are the best and that's what I have. I cook everything in it, from curries to paranthas to fried fish.
Recently, I found a pre seasoned cast iron "tava", also from Lodge. Takes the hassel out of seasoning it.
Pavani says
One of my favorite eggplant dishes. Love it..
I bought a pre-seasoned cast iron pan few months back, but havent been using it much. Will have to start cooking in it.
Vanamala says
looks so nice..i too make a similar one.
Sunshinemom says
My mother tells me this all the time about cast iron pans. Am yet to get my own but I will soon and try these baingans in it too:). They taste very very good with phulkas!
Soma says
I am so happy that u share my passion of cast iron. I have stopped using non stick except on rare occasions when i have to use the BIG ones I still have for cooking for 35 people...I have my skillets for for than 10 years & nothing sticks! easy to clean. i got cast iron kadai from india. & just got myself an iron double griddle come grill.
I have a few hard anodized (no non stick coating).. & they are great too... like the irons.. no dishwasher.. but great to use & clean
That baigain looks awesome vaishalli. i actually still remember the flavor some food traditional food would have getting cooked iron back home!
sorry for this LONG comment!
Priya says
I think is was all a ploy to sneak in another eggplant recipe 😀
I don't like non-stick too, but have one pan for my stir-fry's alone. The rest are stainless steel. I bought a cast iron pan a year back, pre-seasoned one. The initial few trails were not that successful, and me being the lazy self, went back to the non-stick. Will get it back out again now 🙂
Lou says
A lovely tribute to cast iron pans! Got to get myself some at the local Asian supermarket. And don't you just adore eggplants? They're present in most major cuisines -- in my native country we like to grill it and eat it with chopped raw onions and tomatoes...mmmm!
Pooja says
I do have a cast iron pan which I use only for grilling. And because of the norm that it cannot be washed with water I have a hard time cleaning. Thanks for mentioning about it. I have found a way at last! Baghare Baingan looks so delicious! My favourite dish. And with less oil its simply superb!
Cilantro says
My all time favorite. I love the cast iron pans, they last a lifetime compared to the non stick ones.
Charanya says
Hi Vaishali! I heard about your site through Gayathri - and have been following it for a while, making tweaks to my own cooking with ideas inspired from your blog. This current recipe sounds absolutely delish - I am a huge eggplant fan - can't wait to try it out!
Great job on the site!!
Pavithra says
Wow thats looking so tempting and perfect. Mouthwatering vaishali... so good nice clicks too
Parita says
baghare baigan looks tasty, tempting clicks!
Anonymous says
I love cast iron pans but as a greek that cooks with tomatoes almost every day I use them only once and a while, as you cannot cook tomatoes on a cast iron pan.
Best. Maria