I did not grow up seeing mom make dahi baigan. She made a ton of eggplant recipes such as green baigan bharta, baingan pakora or rasedaar baingan but did not combine eggplants this way with yogurt. I was introduced to this luscious preparation of yogurt and eggplant by few of my friends who make the Afghani borani banjan. What a delicious preparation it is! I got inspired after eating it numerous time at their houses to finally come up with this version.
About My Recipe
Dahi = Curd/Yogurt & Baingan = Eggplant/ Aubegrine. This dish has quite a few versions in different indian regional cuisines as well like the bengali doi begun or odia dahi baigana. However, I have developed this recipe as per our taste using the spice combinations that I prefer without sticking to any traditional preparations. My version is more of a baingan raita with tempering. To make it, I simply cube the eggplant into chunks and saute them with garlic and powdered spices like chili power, cumin powder and garam masala. I prefer to cut eggplant into bite size chunks rather than slice them. To make yogurt, I mix the yogurt with chaat masala, black pepper, roasted cumin powder and salt. Note :- I mostly use greek yogurt for this recipe however you can use indian style dahi/curd. Layer the cooked eggplant and yogurt and chopped herbs in a large dish. And then I add a tempering of spices like cumin & black mustard, ginger and green chillies. You can add some curry leaves as well to tempering.
Why You will love this recipe
It is super easy to cook and comes together in about 25-30 minutes. It can be served as an appetizer, side dish or for a light meal. Can be made ahead. Perfect for carrying to pot lucks or parties. You can serve it chilled or at room temperature, tastes awesome either way.
Ingredients
Here are the Ingredients you will need:-
Baingan/ Eggplant/Aubergine - I usually go for Italian eggplant. You can also use elongated japanese eggplants and slice them. Spices For Rubbing on Eggplant - Red Chilli Powder, Salt, Cumin Powder & Garam Masala Spices For Mixing In Yogurt- Chaat Masala, Roasted Cumin Powder, Black Pepper & Salt Spices for Tadka (Tempering)- Cumin Seeds, Mustard Seeds & Fennel Seeds Herbs - Fresh Mint & Cilantro Other Ingredients - Oil, Chopped Ginger, Chopped Garlic, Chopped Green Chili, Salt
Things to Keep in Mind When you choose an Eggplant
When you choose eggplants at the store make sure to select by pressing them a little. They should feel firm but not hard. Secondly, the eggplant should not feel too heavy, that means that it has quite a bit of seeds. Seeds of eggplants, especially when they aren’t in season can be bitter and spoil your dish. Third, look at the cap of the eggplant where they are attached to the plant, make sure that the cap is green and not dry or brownish (that means that its been on the shelf for too long since it was plucked) Lastly, I quickly scan the skin - it should be smooth and not discolored or shriveled.
How To Make Dahi Baingan
Pan Fry The Baingan Start by washing the eggplant. Pat dry. Using a knife, sliced into half and cut each half into chunks. In a pan, heat up oil and add chopped garlic. Let it saute for 15-20 seconds, dont brown. Add the eggplant and the powdered spices. Mix and cook the eggplant on medium high heat for about 7-8 minutes until its cooked through but not mushy! Let cool for 5-6 minutes. (Scroll below to read my eggplant cooking tips) Pro Tip:- You can bake or air fry the eggplants as well if you wish. In a small bowl, toss the baingan chunks with oil, garlic, spices and salt. Air fry or bake till eggplants are cooked through. Prep the Yogurt Add curd/yogurt to a bowl and add chaat masala, cumin powder and salt. Whisk very well. Thin out with little water but dont make it too runny. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Layer The Eggplants & Yogurt In a large dish, make alternating layers of eggplant and yogurt. Top each layer with chopped cilantro and mint. Let sit while you make the tempering. Add the Tempering In a small pan, make a tempering by cracking whole spices and red chilli in oil. Let the tempering cool down a bit. Add on top of the layered eggplant & yogurt. Serve rightaway for chill for 30-35 minutes if you wish.
Eggplant Cooking tips
For me the texture of eggplant is a highlight of this dish. A nice juicy chunk of baigan against creamy yogurt is delightful to bite into. Here are few tips :-
Try to cut eggplant uniformly. That way they cook evenly. Don’t skimp on oil. Baingan is one of those vegetables that needs extra oil for a good taste. Use a wide, shallow pan to pan fry the eggplant for this dish. If you use a small deep pan, the eggplant will get watery and cook unevenly. Here in this dish, be mindful of that baingan doesn’t turn watery when you pan fry it. It should be juicy inside, cooked through with nice chewy skin. For this, I cook the eggplant at a constant low medium heat start to finish. If you cook it on too low, it will get watery. If you cook it on too high, the eggplant will brown from outside but won’t cook from inside.
Tips & Variations
I recommend using plain whole milk yogurt. Its makes this dish super creamy. Dont use very sour curd/yogurt. Greek yogurt is fine to use. Thin it out a little however dont make it watery. Add curry leaves to the tempering if you wish. You can add fresh dill leaves along with mint and cilantro. Cool the tadka (tempering) for couple minutes before adding on top of yogurt. If you dont have chaat masala in your cabinet, skip and add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon to the yogurt. Vegan version - Use your favorite nut based plant yogurt instead. Cashew yogurt would be great! Dont use oat yogurt.
Serving suggestions
Serve dahi baingan chilled or at room temperature with a doughy flatbread like naan or pita. You can serve it as a dip with crispy flatbread chips of any kind as well. I love it with a bowl of rice as well- super cooling on a hot summer day.
Storage
This dish keeps well in the fridge for 2 days. I have noticed that by the third day, water starts separating out from the eggplant and yogurt so won’t recommend making it too ahead.
