This Hyderabadi bagara baingan or curried brinjal recipe is a popular spicy Indian curry. Air frying aubergines makes it healthier.
I learnt this from my mother-in-law who has lived for decades in Hyderabad.
This is my husband's favourite recipe hence it is made often when I get these perfect round, fresh purple aubergines.
It take a little while to cook. But, bagara baingan really is quite yummy and tastes even better when you have leftovers.
You may also like: Baingan ka Bharta Recipe
You may also like these 35+ Indian Air fryer Recipes.
So let's dive right into how to make bagara baingan or brinjal curry recipe:
Step-by-step Pictures
Choose small aubergines. Make two perpendicular slits keeping the stem intact.
Soak in salted water.
Dry roast the dry masala ingredients till toasted. Blend to a dry masala.
Fill the dry masala in the slit aubergine/brinjal.
For Pan frying
Take 2 tbsp. oil and saute in oil till half cooked.
For Air frying
Preheat Air fryer at 180 C or 360 F for 4 minutes.
Lay the filled aubergines on the basket and lightly brush with oil.
Air fry for about 12 minutes till brinjals are almost cooked. The time will vary depending upon the size of the aubergines.
Try to pick similar sized ones. I could cook my entire batch of ½ Kg. brinjals in one shot.
For Wet Masala or curry
To prepare the wet masala, fry curry leaves, onion, ginger garlic paste and fresh coconut pieces in a tsp. of oil till lightly browned.
Add 1 chopped tomato and fry till mushy.
Now blend in a blender to form a smooth paste.
Take the wet masala paste in a kadhai/wok, add in the dry masala and the fried brinjal.
Add the tamarind paste and salt and a little water if the paste is very thick.
Simmer it over gentle heat with a cover for about 15-20 minutes till the brinjals are well cooked.
This step is reduced to 5 minutes if you air fry the aubergines. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.
Your Hyderabadi bagara baingan is ready to serve.
This can be a centerpiece dish if you are entertaining friends or family or for a weekend lunch or dinner.
Here's the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Bagara Baingan Recipe | Curried Brinjal Andhra style
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 aubergines small or 500 gm.
For Dry Masala
- 2 tbsp. white sesame seeds
- 4 tbsp. raw peanuts
- 1 tbsp. poppy seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1 small piece cinnamon
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
- 15 dry red chillies
- ½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
Wet Masala ingredients
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ coconut grated
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 tsp. tamarind paste
- 2 tsp. ginger garlic paste
- salt to taste
- 1.5 tsp. oil for air frying, 2 tbsp. more if pan frying
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
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Instructions
- Clean, wash and dry the brinjals. Now slit each brinjal twice using perpendicular cuts making sure that brinjal is intact at its stem. Keep the brinjal immersed in salted water to prevent it from turning black.
- Dry roast all the ingredients for the dry masala till they are lightly roasted. Takes about 3-4 minutes and powder them in a blender.
- Stuff some salt and dry masala inside the split brinjals and keep aside.
For pan frying aubergines
- Shallow fry in 2 tbsp. oil till they are semi cooked. Take them out and keep them aside.
For Air frying aubergines
- Preheat Air fryer at 180 C or 360 F for 4 minutes. Lay the filled aubergines on the basket and lightly brush with oil.
- Air fry for about 12 minutes till brinjals are almost cooked. The time will vary depending upon the size of the aubergines. Try to pick similar sized ones. I could cook my entire batch of ½ Kg. brinjals in one shot.
Wet masala
- To prepare the wet masala, fry curry leaves, onion, ginger garlic paste and fresh coconut pieces in a tsp. of oil till lightly browned. Add one tomato and fry till mushy.Now blend in a blender to form a smooth paste.
- Take the wet masala paste in a kadhai/wok, add in the dry masala and the fried brinjal, add the tamarind paste and salt and a little water if the paste is very thick.
- Simmer it over gentle heat with a cover for about 15-20 minutes till the brinjals are well cooked. This step is reduced to 5 minutes if you air fry the aubergines. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.
Notes
- This recipe really calls for the small, round purple or striped aubergines. Get them at an Indian store or farmer's market.
- The addition of sesame seeds, poppy seeds and peanuts lends a distinct flavour to this dish.
- You can reduce the spice and heat by reducing the red chillies and pepper powder used.
- Sometimes I use dry coconut instead of fresh coconut. That works just as well.
- It does taste delicious when left for a few hours as all the spices get absorbed by the aubergines.
- Let the aubergines be well cooked but not mushy.
- Choose aubergines of similar size so that they cook evenly.
Nutrition
If you liked this recipe, I request you to leave a star * rating. Thanks.
Vidya Sury says
Love baingan! And love anything with baingan! So tempted to start a food blog now, Rachna! One of my favorite recipes!
Rachna says
I am sure you will do full justice to a food blog, Vids, considering your passion for writing and cooking. 🙂 Yum this recipe is. My mouth was watering when I was typing it. 🙂
Vidya Sury says
Love baingan! And love anything with baingan! So tempted to start a food blog now, Rachna! One of my favorite recipes!
Rachna says
I am sure you will do full justice to a food blog, Vids, considering your passion for writing and cooking. 🙂 Yum this recipe is. My mouth was watering when I was typing it. 🙂
Damyanti Biswas says
Saving this one!
Damyanti Biswas says
Saving this one!
nabanita says
I'm going to try this on a Sunday when my cook has his off day...I love this dish and have alway wanted to try this at home..Pinned it! 🙂
nabanita says
I'm going to try this on a Sunday when my cook has his off day...I love this dish and have alway wanted to try this at home..Pinned it! 🙂
Bikramjit says
Not a big fan of brinjal.. but i like the Curry 🙂
How are you mam.. Long time no see 🙂
Bikramjit says
Not a big fan of brinjal.. but i like the Curry 🙂
How are you mam.. Long time no see 🙂
Pallavi says
The picture of the pan shows a red ingredient which looks like chopped tomatoes.
However no tomatoes are used in the making of Baghara baingan…and neither have you mentioned it in the ingredients.
Please could you clarify?
Thanks and regards.
Rachna says
Pallavi, thank you so much for pointing that out. Indeed, I do use one chopped tomato while making the curry. I have now made the change and added it to the ingredients and steps too.