Aloo Baingan Sabji - Easy Curry with Potato and Eggplant
Wash, peel and cut potatoes and onions into bite sized chunks; toss with seasonings and microwave on Hi, 3-4 min. Meanwhile, prep eggplant, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. In a medium pan, heat oil and add the seasonings and stir for minute. Add eggplant, toss with seasonings and turn heat off. Transfer the eggplant to a pressure cooker insert container and mix in the tomatoes. Layer the onion-potato mixture over the eggplant. Place container on a rack in the pressure cooker and pressure-cook 6-7 min. Gently stir the cooked Sabji, taking care not to smash the eggplant. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with Chapati/Roti. Enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker preferred If not available, you can cook the Sabji in a heavy bottom Kadhai/Wok/ saucepan pan on the stove-top; it will take longer, though. See Recipe Notes for details.
- 1 stainless steel container that can be placed on the rack inside the pressure cooker pot "pot-in-a-pot" cooking method; don't need if not using pressure cooker - Recipe Notes for link to pictures of suitable containers.
- 1 Shallow frying pan - medium (10 in / 25 cm) or, use a medium Kadhai or Wok
Ingredients
- 150 g Eggplant - cut into chunks - about 2 cups; cut just before cooking to prevent browning about 1 medium Japanese eggplant - 8-9 inches long, 1 1/4 inch diameter; Japanese eggplant - thin and long, light violet-purple skin - cooks very fast; if not available, use other available variety - however, cooking time may need to be adjusted, since some varieties take longer to cook.
- 150 g Potatoes - peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks - about 1 cup heaped any variety of potatoes OK
- 1 cup Tomatoes - chopped any variety OK; about 2 medium Roma
- 1 cup Onions - cut into bite-sized chunks any variety OK: red, yellow, white
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger - finely chopped, grated or pounded in mortar and pestle about 1/2 inch (1 cm) square piece
- 1/4 tsp Salt adjust according to taste preference
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust according to taste preferences - add up to 1/4 tsp more if you like it spicy
Seasonings For Onion-Potato mixture
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/8 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne)
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Oil Mustard oil or other mild-flavored oil of your choice: I do not recommend using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil here)
Tadka
- 1 tbsp Oil - use Mustard oil for authentic Punjabi flavor any mild-flavored edible oil OK; I do NOT recommend using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil here
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp Kalonji (Nigella) seeds if not available, OK to omit; do NOT use Caraway or Black Sesame seeds - they have a very different flavor profile
- 1 tsp Garlic - chopped 2-3 cloves
Garnish
- 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander leaves (Cilantro) - chopped
- 1 whole lime/lemon - cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Cut up the potatoes and onions, chunky style.
- Add the seasonings as listed under seasonings for onion-potato mixture cumin coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and oil
- Using 2 spoons, gently mix everything to evenly distribute the seasonings. Cover and microwave on Hi for 3-4 min. Note: If microwave is not available, set up a steamer assembly, and steam-cook this seasoned onion-potato mixture in a stainless steel plate/bowl for 12-15 min.
- While the potatoes cook, dice the tomatoes.
- Peel and chop garlic
- Peel and grate ginger
- Wash and cut the eggplant last - do this just before making Tadka: this will keep the cut surfaces from turning brown through contact with air
- Cut into chunks - slice the eggplant into 1 1/2 in (3 1/2 - 4 cm) pieces, then quarter each piece as shown.
- Make Tadka:Heat oil in a medium wok/saucepan, then add cumin, fennel, coriander and Kalonji.
- Add the chopped garlic and saute for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the eggplant pieces.
- Sprinkle 1/4 tsp each of turmeric, red chilli powder and salt
- Toss together to evenly coat the eggplant with the Tadka and seasonings. Turn heat off. Transfer the seasoned eggplant to a pressure cooker insert container.Reserve a portion of the Tadka which remains at the bottom of the pan, to put on top of the potatoes later. Note: If pressure cooker is not available, please see Recipe Notes for detailed directions for cooking this Sabji without a pressure cooker.
- Add ginger and tomatoes and gently mix. Allow the seasonings to remain stuck to the eggplant pieces.
- Remove the partially cooked onions and potatoes from the microwave and stir gently.
- Arrange the onion-potato mixture on top of the eggplant-tomato mixture, then spread the reserved Tadka over the top. Place the rack/trivet inside the pressure cooker pot and add about 1 1/2 cup of water. Place the prepared container with the vegetables on top of the rack.Close the lid and pressure-cook for 6-7 min at full pressure (i.e., 3-4 whistles if using a stove-top pressure cooker that whistles). Allow pressure to release naturally, about 10-12 min.
- Meanwhile, trim, wash and chop fresh coriander leaves (cilantro). Also slice a lime/lemon into wedges (optional)
- When pressure releases, (or carefully force-release after 10 min, keeping your fingers out of the path of the hot steam that is released), remove the lid.The volume of the cooked Sabji will be considerably less than it was before.
- Gently stir to mix, taking care not to smash the soft-cooked eggplant. Taste test and adjust salt/chilli powder as needed.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot, with Roti, Chapati, Naan, Paratha.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Pressure cooker insert containers for "pot-in-pot" cooking
- Pressure cooker accessories
- Use any stainless container that fits comfortably inside the pressure cooker pot on a trivet/rack.
No pressure cooker?
No worries, cook the Sabji on the stove-top, in a heavy bottom saucepan, Kadhai or Wok.- After seasoning the eggplant with the Tadka, add the tomatoes and onion-potato mixture on top
- Carefully pour about 1/2 cup boiling hot water from the sides of the pan
- do NOT pour it in the middle
- you don't want to let the water wash away the seasonings that the eggplant pieces are coated with
- do NOT pour it in the middle
- Don't stir the mixture; cover and simmer for 20-25 min on low-medium heat
- remove lid 2-3 times along the way to check that the Sabji is not sticking/burning on the bottom.
- if it is starting to stick, add a little hot water (1-2 tbsp) from the side and cover;
- after about a minute, use a spatula to gently scrape and release the "stuck" portion on the bottom, and continue to simmer
- if it is starting to stick, add a little hot water (1-2 tbsp) from the side and cover;
- Check eggplant for done-ness only after about 20 min of cooking.
- Carefully remove 1 piece of eggplant from the bottom
- cool for a minute and check
- it should be soft and fully cooked, without being too mushy.
- Continue to cook if the eggplant is not "well-done".
- cool for a minute and check
- Carefully remove 1 piece of eggplant from the bottom
- Also check the potatoes - they must be fully cooked but also hold their structure
- remove lid 2-3 times along the way to check that the Sabji is not sticking/burning on the bottom.
- Once the vegetables are fully cooked, turn heat off.
- Set aside, covered, undisturbed, for 6-8 min.
- Remove cover and mix gently, taking care to not smash the delicate eggplant.
- Garnish and serve immediately with Roti / Chapati
Storing Leftovers:
Refrigerate leftovers in a glass/ceramic lidded container. I do not recommend freezing this Sabji. Upon thawing and re-heating the texture is completely destroyed.- Consume within 2-3 days
- Reheat in microwave until heated through - covered, 1-2 min.
- Serve steaming hot.
- Add fresh garnish, if you wish.
Nutrition
Calories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 311mgPotassium: 468mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 262IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg
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