Baingan Ka Salan

This recipe is courtesy of "Cooking With Chef Ashok" - Baingan Ka Salan

Part A- Paste for Salan

1. Peanuts - 1 handful
2. Sesame seeds/tahini - 2 tbsp
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Jeera - 2 tsp
5. Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
6. 3-4 onions fried until brown
7. Dry red chillis - 2-3
8. Yoghurt - 1.5 cups
9. Water

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are using tahini instead of sesame seeds then put it during the mixing process. NO NEED TO ROAST TAHINI.

1. Roast ingredients from 1 to 7 above. Let it cool
2. Put it in the mixer and add yoghurt and water to make it into a smooth paste (like a smoothie) and keep it aside.

Part B - Gravy for the Salan

1. Baingan - 1/2 kg whole slit from top
2. Kalonji - 1/2 tsp
3. Jeera - 1 tsp
4. Rai - 1/2 tsp
5. Oil - 3-4 tbsp
6. Onions - 3 finely chopped
7. Tomatoes- 3 finely chopped
8. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
10. Jeera powder - 1 tsp
11. Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp
12. Kashmiri mirch powder - 2 tsp
13. Red chillies -whole 2-3
14. Green chillies - whole 2-3
15. Garam masala - 2tsp
16. Coriander leaves - 1tbsp chopped
17. Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
18. Sugar (to temper) - 1-2 tsp

1. Heat oil in a pan and add baingan and fry it well. Add a 1tsp of turmeric powder and salt to taste.
2. Remove the baingan and leave it aside.
3. Heat oil in pan and add kalonji, jeera and Rai. Let them sputter.
4. Add onion and red chillies and cook it for a few minutes until light brown
5. Add ginger garlic paste and cook it for 2 mins
6. Add turmeric powder, jeera powder, dhaniya powder and Kashmiri mirchi powder and mix well
7. Add tomatoes and mix well and let it cook by closing the lid of the pan.
8. Once tomatoes are cooked properly as the paste prepared in Part-A above and mix well and cook on low flame while mixing.
9. Add 2-3 cups of water and mix well and salt to taste.
10. Add the fried baingans and close the lid and let it cook for 5-7 mins
11. Add garam masala and mix well and cook for 1 minute.
12. Add coriander leaves and kasuri methi for garnishing.

Serve with pulav or roti