By 
BEGUN BHAJA
Baingan Bhaja orBegun Bhaja are pan fried or shallow fried marinated slices of Aubergines
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant cut into half inch round slices (baingan or aubergine)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 teaspoon garam masalapowder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder or amchur powder (optional)
- rice flour as required
- salt as required
- mustard oil for frying, you can also use sunflower oil
Instructions
Preparation To Make BegunBhaja
- Rinse the eggplant (baingain) well in water. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Now slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick roundels.
- Soak these slices in salted water for 15-20 minutes. Remove and pat dry all the slices.
Making Begun Bhaja
- Now add all the spice powders and salt and mix the slices well. Marinate for 5-7 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan. Take rice flour in a plate. Coat each slice with rice flour. Dust off the extra rice flour.
- Now pan fry the baingan slices till crisp and golden brown on both sides.
- Drain baingan slices on paper tissues.
- Serve baingan bhaja hot with yogurt or any yogurt dip and some bread or rotis or naans.
Notes
Tips for making begun bhaja recipe
- The baingan can be sliced into thinner or thicker slices. Thicker slices will take more time to cook.
- Baingan absorbs oil while cooking. So, it is always better to coat the slices with some flour. Here in this recipe I have used rice flour. It serves two fold benefit - firstly, the baingan does not absorb much oil and secondly, rice flour makes the coating crisp from outside. So from outside the baingan is crisp whereas from inside it is soft.
- You can also use chickpea flour (besan) or all purpose flour (maida) to make begun bhaja.
- Baingan discolors quickly once it is chopped. Hence, you can put the chopped slices in a bowl of water or use it right away.
- Not all baingan are bitter. Some of them can be very sweet. However, its better to put the slices in salted water as one cannot come to know by its look or appearance if it is bitter or not. As a general rule, while buying bigger eggplants, the eggplant should be light with a firm skin.
- I have used mustard oil, but you can use any good vegetable oil for frying.
- You can either shallow fry or deep fry the baingan.
