A north Indian style Baingan Masala or Eggplant Masala puts in a frequent appearance on Indian restaurant menus, like that other popular masala dish, a chana masala. But making a restaurant style Baingan Masala at home is easy and the rewards are infinitely greater. For one you can make it as low in fat as you want with ingredients you pick and choose and know are fresh. Most baingan masala recipes start out by deep frying the eggplant but we air-fry it without oil and combine it with potatoes, because eggplant, potatoes and peanuts? Yumm, it’s a match made in flavor heaven. Douse all this goodness in a spicy tomato onion sauce and you have a winner! Eat this baingan masala with roti or with jeera rice for a delicious meal you will relish and remember for a long time after the last crumb is gone.
Why you’ll love this baingan masala
A spicy curry with velvety eggplants and potatoes makes for happy and delicious eats. Air frying the vegetables beforehand makes sure they cook quickly. Eggplants, especially, need to be thoroughly cooked or they tend to taste bitter and even acrid. Eggplants are seasonal in summer and great for you. Eggplant (also called brinjal/aubergine) is among my most favorite vegetables and I cannot think of enough ways to enjoy this amazing veggie when it is plentiful during the warm summer months. There are many people out there who detest eggplants but that’s likely because they either don’t know how to cook one correctly or haven’t eaten the right eggplant recipe. Undercooked eggplant is awful, but eggplant cooked to melting tenderness is sublime. The sauce is so easy to make. Blend up the tomatoes and onions with peanuts, then put it all into the saucepan and let it cook. You can’t do wrong. The recipe works for all diets. If you are keto or low carb skip the potatoes. The recipe itself is soy-free and gluten-free and you can substitute the peanuts with a handful of sesame seeds if you are nut-free. You can make this recipe oil-free by skipping the tablespoon of oil used for frying the masala, but I recommend using it because it helps the masala become more flavorful.
Baingan Masala Ingredients
2 medium eggplants (or eight small, round Indian eggplants). As a rule of thumb, don’t use the large globe eggplant in Indian recipes (except Baingan Bharta) because it becomes rather mushy when cooked for long. But most other varieties of eggplant, like Chinese, Japanese, Thai and even Italian, are fine to use in this brinjal masala. Indian cooks often use the small, round Indian brinjals, whole with two crosswise slits down the middle, for this recipe. Those eggplants are not easy to find for those without access to an Indian store, but if there’s one near you do use them. 2 medium potatoes. This is an optional ingredient if you are watching your carbs, but potatoes and eggplants (along with peanuts) are simply amazing together. Use red or yellow potatoes, and stay away from russets or starchy potatoes, which will break down easily. 1 large onion 2 medium tomatoes 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste. If you don’t have the paste use four cloves of garlic and a 1-inch knob of ginger. ¼ cup lightly roasted peanuts. Use 2 tablespoon lightly roasted sesame seeds as a substitute if you are nut-free. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 teaspoon garam masala powder ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, like cayenne, or paprika if you prefer less heat. 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin Salt to taste 2 tablespoon cilantro or mint, for garnish. Cilantro is always great with Indian dishes but in summer I love adding mint for a lovely twist, and mint is also amazing with eggplant.
How to make baingan masala
Air-fry the eggplant and potatoes: Place the eggplant slices in the air fryer basket and air-fry at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, tossing the basket halfway through to ensure everything cooks evenly. Repeat with the potato slices. You can coat the veggies with a bit of oil if you want before you air-fry but it is not necessary. Alternatively, if you don’t have an air-fryer, fry the vegetables in a couple of tablespoons of oil until they are semi-tender. You can also toss the vegetables with a bit of oil, arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer, and broil them on high for 5-10 minutes.
Blend the masala ingredients: Place the masala ingredients–onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and peanuts–in a blender and blend into a smooth puree. Set aside.
In a wok or saucepan heat the oil. Add cumin seeds and, when they sputter, add the blended masala paste. Be sure to keep the heat low when you do this as the masala will sputter and bubble. Add remaining spices: These are garam masala, turmeric, cayenne or paprika, ground coriander and ground cumin. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix. Cover the wok and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat or a medium flame until the masala is darker and glossy. Stir a few times in between so the masala doesn’t stick. A good indicator of whether a masala paste has cooked is to check for droplets of oil separating and floating on top. Because we use very little oil in this recipe you likely won’t see droplets on top but a glossier look and a darkening of the tomato paste is a good indicator that the masala is ready.
Add the eggplant and potato slices to the wok. Mix them in and add ½ to 1 cup of water at this point to create a sauce. Cover again and let the veggies cook until they are tender. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro or mint and serve hot.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days. Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Reheat: Reheat thoroughly in a saucepan or in a microwave. You might need to add some more water when you reheat. If you add water, always check if you need to add more salt too.
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