You are going to love these crispy fried eggplant slices with a delicious seasoning that is soft and creamy inside. This is my version of Begun bhaja or baingan bhaja which is very popular in the Indian Bengali cuisine.
Traditionally, these are pan-fried in mustard oil and have a delicious pungent taste to them. I have shared skillet recipe here. But, I really enjoyed the air fryer version which is much lower on oil.
It is a super easy and quick vegetable side. I have used very basic seasonings and chickpea flour for the coating. It could be a delicious snack or side.
If you love veggie sides, you might also like air fryer zucchini, air fryer eggplant fries, cheesy broccoli bites, crunchy oyster mushroom or crispy okra.
Ingredients
Eggplant: I have used one eggplant. You can make about 10-12 slices about ¼th inch thick with this. Choose a fresh eggplant.
Seasonings: I have used basic seasonings like turmeric, chili powder, ground coriander and amchur powder along with salt there. If you don’t have amchur, you can use lemon juice in its place.
Coating: I have used chickpea flour for the coating here. You can use regular flour or rice flour too in its place.
Oil: Traditionally mustard oil is used in the recipe. But olive oil or any vegetable oil works well here.
Instructions
The recipe is fairly simple. Assemble the spices that you are going to use along with chickpea flour on a plate. You may use flour or rice flour if so prefer. Now cut the stem end and remove it. Now slice the eggplant into ¼ inch slices.
Mix together all the spices with chickpea flour. Then apply it to both sides of the eggplant slices. The seasoning mix may look lower in quantity, but it generally suffices. If you need some more, add more chickpea flour with seasonings.
Keep the marinated slices for 10-15 minutes. This helps draw out the moisture and also helps the coating adhere to the eggplant. The coating is not very thick.
Now, we are ready to cook our baingan bhaja or air fryer eggplant slices.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat air fryer to 180C or 360F for 3 minutes. Brush both the sides of the marinated eggplant slices with oil. Place as many as will fit into the air fryer basket.
Air fry at 180C or 360F for 14-16 minutes till the eggplant is cooked well and the coating is crispy and golden. The exact time taken will depend upon how thick your eggplant slices are.
Do remember the flip the slices midway for even cooking. After cooking, eggplant slices will shrink slightly. Take out your baingan bhaja and serve as a veggie side or with chutney or dip as a snack.
Skillet Method
If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan or skillet. Carefully place the eggplant slices in a single layer.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side till dark and browned and crispy. You might need to add a little more oil to keep them from sticking.
Flip and cook on both sides till done. This version uses more oil and is darker in colour. Tastewise, I like both the versions. Enjoy your baingan bhaja as a side to your rice and lentils meal.
Expert Tips
1. Cut the eggplant slices to uniform thickness so that they cook evenly.
2. Do not crowd air fryer basket. You will need to do them in a couple of batches.
3. Letting the eggplant marinate in the spice mix helps in drawing out the moisture and making it more flavourful.
4. This recipe is gluten free and vegan. It is also very easy. Traditionally, they used flour in the recipe, but I prefer to use chickpea flour for its taste and texture.
5. Flipping the slices while cooking helps them cook evenly. Also check that the eggplant is cooked through. Cook on medium to low heat when cooking in skillet or pan.
6. You can easily store the leftovers for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a microwave or air fryer to heat through before serving.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Air fryer Eggplant Slices or Begun Bhaja
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- ½ tsp. red chili powder or paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. Amchur or green mango powder or 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. chickpea flour or flour
- 2 tbsp. oil for pan-fried version
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Instructions
- The recipe is fairly simple. Assemble the spices that you are going to use along with chickpea flour on a plate. You may use flour or rice flour if so prefer. Now cut the stem end and remove it. Now slice the eggplant into ¼ inch slices.
- Mix together all the spices with chickpea flour. Then apply it to both sides of the eggplant slices. The seasoning mix may look lower in quantity, but it generally suffices. If you need some more, add more chickpea flour with seasonings.
- Now, keep the marinated slices for 10-15 minutes. This helps draw out the moisture and also helps the coating adhere to the eggplant. The coating is not very thick.
- Now, we are ready to cook our baingan bhaja or air fryer eggplant slices.
Air Fryer Method
- Preheat air fryer to 180C or 360F for 3 minutes. Brush both the sides of the marinated eggplant slices with oil. Place as many as will fit into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 180C or 360F for 14-16 minutes till the eggplant is cooked well and the coating is crispy and golden. The exact time taken will depend upon how thick your eggplant slices are.
- Do remember the flip the slices midway for even cooking. After cooking, eggplant slices will shrink slightly. Take out your baingan bhaja and serve as a veggie side or with chutney or dip as a snack.
Skillet Method
- If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries! Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan or skillet. Carefully place the eggplant slices in a single layer, Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side till dark and browned and crispy. You might need to add a little more oil to keep them from sticking.
- Flip and cook on both sides till done. This version uses more oil and is darker in colour. Tastewise, I like both the versions. Enjoy your baingan bhaja as a side to your rice and lentils meal.
Rachna says
This is a favorite recipe of mine. Really easy to make and the eggplant tastes amazing.