I am Anita Singh from Hyderabad (India). I am interested in Mughalai Recipes, movies, cricket and reading. I would like you all to try this dish which is easy and takes just 30 minutes to cook and tastes wonderful, its a very famous speciality of Hyderabad. If you make exactly the way I have put in below, then you are sure to get the taste of Hyderabad sitting anywhere in the world. Your feedback is most welcome.

There are many ways to make this dish but the original one is made the way I put in below. This dish when eaten the next day will taste much better

My E-mail : anuvinu25@yahoo.com and anuvinu@onebox.com

Hyderabadi Bhagare Baigan

Ingredients

Brinjals (small size) - 15-20
Rai - 1 tsp
Kalonjee (Onion seeds) - 1/2 tsp
Tamrind pulp (i.e. soaked in water) - 1 small cup
Curry leaves (Kadi pattha) - 15
Dry red chillies (Sukhe mirhci) -3 to 4
Tez pattha (Bay leaves) - 3 to 4 leaves
Fresh coriander - 1 (medium bunch)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 big tbsp
Salt - according to taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Trumeric powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder (Dhania) - 1 tbs spoon
Jeera powder - 1 tbs spoon
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Water - 1 cup (if desired)
Oil - 1 1/2 cup

Masala For Gravy (to be grounded to smooth paste.)
Jeera - 1 tbs
Til - 3/4 cup
Kush kush - 1/4 cup
Ground nut (Phalli) - 1 cup
Fresh coconut (Cut small pieces) - 1 cup
Coriender seeds (Dhania) - 2 tbs
Methiseeds (Fenugreek seeds) - 1/4 small spoon
Oil - 2 tbs spoon

Preparation:

Step 1:

Heat oil in a kadai and fry the Masala for gravy for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame, cool it and grind it to smooth wet paste (adding little water occasionally for smoothness) and keep a side. Soak the tamrind in cold or warm water for 1/4 hour or more.

Step 2:

Heat oil for deep frying the brinjals in a kadai.

Wash the brinjals and slightly slit them into 4 parts (do not cut full, just slit it and let the brinjals be whole). Squeez out the excess water from the brinjals and deep fry them, all at a time or few at a time depending upon your kadai size till they are tender.

See that they are not very tender but evenly cooked. Dish them out in another vessel.

Step 3:

Heat oil in a fat bottom vessel, add rai, kalonjee, curry leaves (kadi patha), tez patha, sukhi mirchi and and sautE9 for some time, add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds. Add the grounded paste and saute for 2 minutes and when the masala is fully wrapped in oil, add salt to taste, chilly powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder, dhania powder and garam masala powder and cook for 6 to 8 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally in between, add one cup of water, in case if you desired to make the gravy little thin then add 1 more cup of water and accordingly add salt, and cook for 2 minutes or till oil separates.

Step 4:

Add the brinjals and stir it lightly so that the brinjals are well soaked in the masala cook for 1 to 2 minutes, see that the brinjals do not break and add tamrind pulp and stir and cook for another 2 minutes on low flame. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Note:

1. Take brinjals which are small in size but not big and not too tiny.
2. See that you don't slit the brinjals too much that they break while frying but slit them lightly into 4 parts and let them be whole.
3. See that you don't add too much of water , let the gravy be thick.
4. The masala for gravy should be grounded to smooth paste.

Enjoy with Hot Parathas, Plain Rice, Biryani or Planin Pulao.