baingan musasalam / mughlai baingan masala (indian eggplant and tomato)

mughlai cuisine, according to wikipedia, is a medieval cooking style from northern india and pakistan. it’s even influenced by mongolian food. the history of empire is wild.

history, eggplant, and cream are three of my favorite things, so i’m excited to try this recipe by tarla dalal

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3 cups eggplant
1 to 4 tbsp ghee (recipe called for 4; i used less than half that)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1/2 to 1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp fresh cream
salt to taste

the recipe says to start by frying eggplant pieces, but i plan to roast the eggplants whole and scoop out the flesh instead. however you like to cook eggplant, do that first.

in a frying pan, start ghee and cumin seed

add onions and saute 5 mins

add the ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and 1 cup of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

add tomatoes, cook 5 min

add the tomato puree, sugar, fresh cream and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

add eggplant, cook 2 min, serve garnished with cilantro

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recipe by tarla dalal

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it’s a keeper! among my favorite eggplant recipes, for sure  [though i definitely prefer georgian-style eggplant stuffed with carrot and parsnip. as weird as it sounds, there is just something perfect about it.]

i haven’t made khatta meetha baingan in years, but i will have to make it soon to see if it’s still my favorite indian eggplant recipe, or if this (and its less souped-up cousin baingan bharta) is the new favorite.

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