Khatta Meetha Baingan: 20-Min Recipe

Mayur Sanap visited Srinagar in September 2023, and had the traditional Kashmiri Khatte Baingan (eggplant) at a restaurant near Dal Gate.
A baingan lover, he had to recreate it at home.
This is his take and he says it is "sure to tantalise your tastebuds with its sweet, sour and chatpatta notes."
He suggests pairing it with chapattis or soft phulkas or jeera rice for a satiating meal.

Ingredients

• 5-6 deep purple small baingan or eggplant or brinjals or aubergines, washed, slit lengthwise, but not into 2 halves (should be still joined at the stem)
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 fresh green chillies, crushed

Ingredients, continued

• 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 2 tsp dhania or coriander powder
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
• ¼ tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp jaggery powder
• 1 tbsp or less Kashmiri red chilly powder

Ingredients, continued

• Lime-sized ball imli or tamarind, soaked in hot water, sieved, then pulped to get 2-3 tbsp pulp
• Pinch hing or asafoetida
• Handful fresh green dhania or coriander or cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsp oil + extra for pan-frying the eggplant
• Water as required
• Salt to taste, about 1 tsp

Method

• In a frying pan, over medium heat, pan fry the baingan, in some oil, flipping occasionally, till golden brown.
  Drain onto a tissue or paper towel-lined plate and keep aside.
• In a bowl, mix all the dry spice powders, with a little water, into a smooth paste.
  Keep aside.

Method, continued

• Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan or a kadhai, over medium heat and add the onion and sauté until soft.
  Then add the ginger-garlic paste, crushed green chillies and fry a minute or so more.
  Now add the spice paste and stir vigorously for a few seconds.
  Add in the tamarind pulp.
  Then add the jaggery and the salt.
  Mix very well.

Method, continued

• Add water if required; the consistency should be thick.
• Finally add the fried baingan and toss gently.
  Cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

Tips
You can turn this into a gravy dish too by adding enough hot water to bring it to the consistency of a curry.
The eggplant can be cubed instead. Add cubed potatoes too if you like. Jaggery can be replaced with sugar.
Alternatively, use aamchur or dry mango powder instead of imli. Or even chopped green mango (kairi).
Serve hot with chapattis/phulkas or pulav.