Skip to content

Vegetarian, South and Southeast Asian

Bagara baingan with rice

Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi eggplant dish, cooked until melting in a thick peanut, sesame and tamarind sauce, served with basmati rice. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, has a medium difficulty level, and costs €1.80 per person. The key is the sauce, dry roasted first then simmered until it coats the eggplants well.

Tonight it's bagara baingan, melting Hyderabadi eggplants in a peanut, sesame and tamarind sauce, with rice.

Bagara baingan with rice
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Winter, Fall

Bagara baingan is really about the sauce. Thick, slightly tangy from the tamarind, carried by the toasted flavor of peanuts, sesame and coconut. The small eggplants, slit in a cross and browned whole, turn melting and soak up all that sauce as they simmer. The basmati rice is mostly there to catch what's left on the plate.

This is a dinner for when you have a bit of time ahead of you, more a quiet weeknight or a Sunday, since it needs two separate cooking stages and a few steps. It suits a table that enjoys spices without too much heat, and it's a good way into South Indian cooking if you've never tried it before.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Small eggplants 600 g
  • Onion 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Pantry

  • Roasted unsalted peanuts 60 g
  • Sesame seeds 2 tbsp
  • Shredded coconut 2 tbsp
  • Tamarind paste 1 tbsp
  • Cumin seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Mustard seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Chili powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 280 g

Allergens Peanuts, Sesame, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut in a pan, then blend them with the tamarind, garlic and a little water. 8 min

    Stir constantly, the seeds burn fast.

  2. Slit the eggplants in a cross without separating them, then brown them in half the oil, turning them as they cook. 12 min

    If you can't find small eggplants, cut large ones into wedges instead.

  3. In the remaining oil, let the cumin and mustard seeds crackle, add the sliced onion and brown it. 8 min

    Once the seeds start popping, it's time to add the onion.

  4. Add the turmeric, chili powder, peanut paste and a glass of water, then return the eggplants to the pan and simmer covered. 15 min

    The sauce should coat the eggplants, add a bit of hot water if needed.

  5. Cook the basmati rice in salted water and serve it alongside the eggplants and their sauce. 11 min

    The sauce tastes even better the next day, so you can make it ahead.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick small, evenly sized eggplants so they cook at the same rate and stay whole once slit in a cross.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the eggplants back in, you can sharpen the tang with a bit more tamarind or soften it with a pinch of sugar.
  • Simmer covered over low heat, a hard boil dries out the sauce before the eggplants have had time to turn melting.

The variations

  • Swap the eggplants for halved new potatoes, they pair just as well with the peanut sauce.
  • For a quicker version, use small eggplants already halved instead of slitting them in a cross, cooking will be a bit shorter.
  • For a milder, kid friendly version, cut the chili powder in half and let the mustard seeds pop only briefly.

What to serve it with

  • Plain yogurt to cool the spices
  • Naan bread for scooping
  • A hot cup of chai

Storage

Bagara baingan keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the sauce actually improves with time. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you substitute the tamarind paste?

Yes, a mix of lemon juice and a little sugar can work in a pinch, though the flavor will be less layered. Tamarind paste is easy to find in Asian grocery stores and keeps a long time in the fridge.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the peanut and tamarind sauce tastes better after a night in the fridge. Make it the day before and reheat it with the browned eggplants on the day.

How do you pick the right eggplants for this dish?

Choose small, firm eggplants with no blemishes so they stay whole and cook evenly. If you can't find small ones, large eggplants cut into wedges work too.

Is this dish very spicy?

No, the teaspoon of chili powder gives a moderate heat that's softened by the peanuts and coconut. You can reduce or increase the amount to suit your taste.

How long does it take to make a bagara baingan with rice?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a bagara baingan with rice?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bagara baingan with rice cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains peanuts, sesame, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

South and Southeast Asian Cuisines

See all

Recipes with eggplant

See all