Bagara Baingan

This is my mom's recipe . From long time i am planning to post this but bit lazy . We all love this recipe and whenever i do this i recieve lots of compliements from Ram and our guests . So being a hyderabadi i want to show u the essence of Hyderabad . So frds try this hyderabadi special dish and enjoy .

Preparation :-

• Take a small lemon size tamarind and soak in enough water / microwave for a minute .

• Heat a pan dry fry 1 tbspn peanuts and transfer them into a mixcy container .

• In same pan dry fry 1 &1/2 tspn coriander seeds and transfer them into mixcy container .

• In same pan dry fry 1 & 1/2 tspn sesemam seeds and transfer them into mixcy container .

• In same pan dry fry 1 & 1/2 tspn poppy seeds along with 2 cloves , 2 small cardamoms (open their skin and add) , 2 " cinnamon stick & 5 whole cashews. Transfer them into the mixcy container .

• To this fried items add 1 tbspn roasted bengal gram / putnalu and grind all fried items together to a fine powder .

• Heat the same pan u used for frying dry items . Add 1 tspn oil and fry 1 medium size chopped onion. No need to brown them . When they turn trasnsparent u can switchoff and let it cool .

• In same mixcy container in that grinded powder add fried onions , 1 &1/2 tbspn fresh / frozen coconut , sufficient salt , chilly powder , turmeric & tamarind extract( Add enough salt , chilly powder for the complete curry) . Grind this nicely and add water , grind again . So with this gravy for ur curry is ready .

• Take 10 round brinjals ( try to select small ones). slit them cross till 3/4th and put them in salt water. If u want u can preserve stems of brinjals .

• chop 1 small onion , 1 small tomato and 2 or 3 green chillies.

• Now take a big pan and heat it . Add 2tbspns oil and when hot add brinjals and mix nicely . Immediately add 1/4 tspn salt ( adding salt helps brinjals from turning bitter / kanarekka kunda). Fry brinjals till they are done . Fry them perfectly if not they dont taste good afterwards . ( Instead of this process u can deep fry brinjals in oil but i dont want to use that process since it consumes more oil . so i shallow fry them )

• When they are done switch off stove and take them into a plate . Take a paper towel and wipe ur pan neatly . ( if any remainings are there it will remove . so it helps in our next process)

• Heat same pan again add 4 tbspns oil , when hot add chopped chillies , chopped onions ( brown them) , when they are done add 5 pudina leaves ( cut leaves with ur hands and then add . It enhances the flavour of pudina) ,If u did not add turmeric while grinding u can add now. Next add 1 tspn ginger garlic paste . Fry for 2 mins .

• Next add chopped tomato and fry it nicely . Tomato should turn mushy . Add 1/4 tspn garam masala powder .

• Now add fried brinjals . Mix nicely and fry for 5 mins . Be careful while stirring since brinjals are already cooked they will be sensitive . They may crush.

• Next add ur grinded paste . Add sufficient water and mix nicely . Periodically stir it since we added cashews the gravy thickens quickly , sticks to bottom and may burn if u dont stir . Adjust water accordingly since cashews make ur gravy thick even after completing cooking .

• Add coriander leaves . Check the taste and when ur required consistency comes switchoff and serve hot with bagara rice. It even goes good with plain rice / rotis / naan.