Brinjal Bhaji (or Aubergine Bhaji) is one of my go to dishes if I’m out with friends as it’s tasty and one of the few dishes which can be guaranteed to be vegan on an Indian menu – as long as you ask them to not use ghee. Even better, it’s a dished based around one of my favourite vegetables – Aubergine!
Recipes for this can be as varied as the country it originates from. Some swear this should have no sauce at all, others that it should be heavily spiced, some would never use chillies in this dish while other declare that you can’t have it without them. Keeping this in mind, I’ve done my best to replicate a type of dish you’d find in a British Indian restaurant, bursting with flavour from select spices but with no chillies as the best versions just don’t need it. In these days of increasing prices, if you’re trying to avoid takeout but still craving an Indian meal then I’d really recommend this – I couldn’t be happier with it but just like your regular Indian takeout I wouldn’t necessarily call it healthy …
This recipe for Brinjal Bhaji has been split into two parts to make it easier to manage. The base sauce can be happily made well ahead and kept in the fridge or freezer where like most Indian food, the flavours will develop. I like to make a big batch and freeze it in portions so I can quickly whip up a batch of Brinjal Bhaji whenever we’re in the mood. The recipe I’ve given you for the base sauce should be more than you need for one batch as it’s actually a little tricky to make in small doses so I’m giving you about double what you should need in the thought that you can use some now and freeze some for later.
What spices will I need?
Brinjal Bhaji isn’t at all hot as no chillies are used but it does pack a punch. As such, there are quite a few spices you’ll need to layer in those flavours. These include:
- Garam Masala – a warm, fragrant Indian blend of ground spices with a little heat. I like to think of it as a good general spice mix for Indian cooking.
- Curry Powder – Often confused with garam masala, this is simply a blend created to recreate the quintessential Indian flavours so it’s a great short cut for us here! Any decent mild or medium heat blend will work for this recipe.
- Mustard Seeds – a great backbone to any curry, be careful when cooking with these as they jump and pop in hot oil!
- Fennel Seeds – don’t go over the top with these as they can be very pungent but like mustard seeds, they form a good basis for a curry.
- Nigella Seeds – also known as onion seeds or black cumin, these tasty little seeds are some of my favourite whole spices and are just as good in a salad as in a curry.
- Dried Fenugreek Leaves – also known as methi, these can be slightly harder to find in the supermarket. Even so, don’t skip them – they’re the secret to making this dish taste so authentic!
- Turmeric – Surprisingly, this brightly coloured spice is a member of the ginger family. Widely praised for it’s health benefits, it’s an essential member of everyone’s spice cupboard.
What to serve with it?
Rice or an Indian bread like naan or the classic accompaniments to this. Alternatively, this works well as a side dish and will go well your favourite curry.
Leftovers?
Like most Indian dishes, this gets even better if it’s a leftover. It’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month. Make sure to heat up thoroughly before eating and it’ll make everyone happy on leftover day.
Restaurant Style Brinjal Bhaji
Ingredients
For the base sauce
- 300 grams Onions coarsely chopped
- 12 grams Garlic roughly chopped
- 7 grams Ginger roughly chopped
- 90 grams Tomatoes chopped
- 20 grams Carrot roughly chopped
- 20 grams Tomato Puree
- 20 gram Green Peppers
- 800 ml Vegetable Stock
- 60 ml Oil
- 10 grams Coriander Stalks
- 1¾ tsp Garam Masala
- ¾ tsp Curry Powder (any decent mild or medium one will do)
- ½ tsp Salt
For the Curry
- 125 ml Oil
- 400 grams Red Onion finely diced
- 1 Green Pepper chopped
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Nigella Seeds
- 10 Garlic Cloves sliced
- 2 tsp Garlic & Ginger Paste
- 1½ tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 2 Aubergines (aprox. 600g) diced into 2cm chunks
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree diluted 1:1 with water
- 2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- 750 ml Base Sauce*
- 2 Large Tomatoes roughly chopped
- ¼ cup Fresh Coriander roughly chopped
Instructions
For the Base Sauce
- Wash and prep all the vegetables, placing them into a large pan with the oil, tomato puree, salt and stock. This will be blended later so there’s no need to be pretty with your prep. Leave the coriander and spices to one side.300 grams Onions, 12 grams Garlic, 7 grams Ginger, 20 grams Tomato Puree, 90 grams Tomatoes, 20 grams Carrot, 20 gram Green Peppers, 60 ml Oil, 800 ml Vegetable Stock, ½ tsp Salt
- Cover the pan and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer very gently for about an hour. You want to ensure all the vegetables are soft and well cooked. Now add the spices and simmer for another 10 minutes, before adding the coriander and simmering for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool before blending to completely smooth.10 grams Coriander Stalks, 1¾ tsp Garam Masala, ¾ tsp Curry Powder
- This will create more base than you may need for one curry but it will also allow you to be more flexible with the sauce depending on how you prefer it. The base can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for a day or two, or frozen for up to a month but it must be brought back up to a low simmer before being used below.
For the curry
- In a large pan, heat your oil on high before adding the red onions, green peppers and salt. Saute till the onions start to turn translucent, then add the mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and Nigella seeds. Turn your heat down to medium low and cook until your onions are translucent and the pepper is fully cooked (about 10 minutes).125 ml Oil, 400 grams Red Onion, 1 Green Pepper, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp Fennel Seeds, 1 tsp Nigella Seeds
- Add the sliced garlic, turn the heat up to medium and fry until the garlic and onions just start to take on colour but don’t let them burn. To this, add the garlic and ginger puree and fry off just long enough to remove the water before adding the fenugreek leaves and cooking for a further 30 seconds.10 Garlic Cloves, 2 tsp Garlic & Ginger Paste, 1½ tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- Now throw in the chunks of aubergine and tomato, stir frying for a couple of minutes allowing the aubergine to soak up the oil. Reduce the heat slightly and continue to cook until the aubergine has softened (this will likely take another 15 minutes or so). At this stage the aubergine will start to release some of the oil back into the pan.2 Aubergines (aprox. 600g), 2 Large Tomatoes
- Return the heat to medium high, add the tomato puree and the remainder of the spices and sauté for about a minute or so stirring non stop. The tomato puree should darken as it roasts but you need to make sure the spices don’t burn. The mix should be fragrant as the spices cook.2 tbsp Tomato Puree, 2 tsp Turmeric, 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- Add the simmering base and stir well. Continue to cook, simmering until the mixture is nice and golden brown, and the aubergines are buttery soft and cooked all the way through.750 ml Base Sauce*
- Stir in the coriander and taste – seasoning if needed. Serve with rice and some onion bhajis if you feel like treating yourself!¼ cup Fresh Coriander
Notes
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