Eggplant fry (begun bhaja)

Eggplant fry (begun bhaja) recipe.

Eggplant fry or begun bhaja is a very simple side dish, ready in less than 15 minutes. Crispy on the outside and soft melt in the mouth inside – perfect with both rice and roti (include a slice of raw onion and a green chilli for the rustic touch). Be sure to eat this while still hot from the frying pan – else it will soon become a soggy, oily mess.

This is a perfect dish to transform eggplant haters into eggplant lovers. If I had tasted this as a child, the love-hate relation I shared with this humble vegetable would have been sorted so easily 🙂

To make this dish, I first slice eggplant into ½ inch round slices and make light slits. I then rub it with salt and turmeric and let it sit for a couple of minutes. I then shallow fry them until golden on both sides. It is really important to fry the eggplant slices in a single layer. Fry them in batches and do not overcrowd the frying pan. It is also important to make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the eggplant. Fry them on medium heat – low heat means the eggplant will absorb a lot of oil and high heat means they will not be cooked completely and may burn.

A simple dish made with just 3 ingredients (including salt), showcases eggplant as a hero. Add this quick dish to your regular meal for a tasty twist.

For more recipes with eggplant as the main ingredient, click here.

For more Bengali recipes, click here.

Begun bhaja

Shilpa

Eggplant fry or begun bhaja is a very simple side dish, ready in less than 15 minutes. Crispy on the outside and soft melt in the mouth inside – perfect with both rice and roti.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine Bengali, Indian

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for shallow frying

Instructions

 

• Cut the eggplant into ½ inch round slices. On each side, make light slits in a criss-cross pattern
• Rub salt and turmeric and let it sit for 10 minutes (the salt drains out excess water and any bitterness in the eggplant)
• Heat oil in a fry pan or kadhai. Put the eggplant slices in a single layer and fry until golden
• Flip and fry until golden on the other side
• Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot

Notes

• Place the eggplant in a single layer in the frying pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan and fry in batches
• Make sure the oil is sufficiently hot while frying else the eggplants will soak too much oil

Nutrition Facts

Begun bhaja

Amount Per Serving

Calories 24 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 2mg0%

Potassium 221mg6%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 21IU0%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 8mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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