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
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
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