Baingan ka Raita
Updated: Nov 25, 2021
Yes, the raita that I mentioned in my Lauki Chana Dal recipe!
Eggplant Raita, Eggplant Yoghurt Dip, Brinjal Raita… this scrumptious baingan ka raita has a crisp bite from the fried eggplant and a creamy smooth texture of yoghurt or dahi.
This recipe of Baingan ka Raita uses just fried eggplant, yoghurt and spices. A tadka too!
While a Baingan ka Raita is not as quick to put together as let's say a cucumber raita or boondi raita, it is delectable and a must have on your Indian meal recipes list.
To make Baingan ka Raita, I recommend the use of largish round eggplants that you would use for a Baingan ka Bharta. You could also use the long eggplant, if that is easily available to you.
The small, round, lighter coloured eggplants, that are usually cooked to make Bagara Baingan or Bharli Vangi, are not suited for a Baingan ka Raita.
Do try out these Indian Condiment recipes from WhiskMixStir too!
Thecha: Green Chilli and Garlic Chutney
All of these are the perfect condiments to complete an Indian meal and equally effortlessly double up as a dip! Add them to your next charcuterie board, mezze or tapas platter.
This recipe of baingan ka raita is naturally gluten free and vegetarian. Make it vegan by using vegan yoghurt.
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Makes: 3 cups of Baingan ka Raita
Time taken: 10 minutes
Ingredients to make Baingan ka Raita
1 baingan / eggplant – the largish round ones used for Baingan ka Bharta
2 cups dahi or yoghurt
½ tsp jeera powder / cumin seeds powder
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 green chilli
A few stalks of fresh coriander
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil, for frying the eggplant
For the Tadka
1 tsp cooking oil / ghee
½ tsp red chilli powder
Method of making Baingan ka Raita
1 eggplant for 2 cups of yoghurt may seem like a lot while reading the recipe. Before you reduce / adjust the quantities, remember that eggplant has high water content and its pieces will shrivel once fried.
Chop the eggplant (peel on) in to small cubes, about 2 cm. Please don't peel the eggplant before chopping it, it's the crisp eggplant skin that gives this baingan ka raita some gorgeous texture. Fry the chopped eggplant, with a little salt. I pan-fried the chopped eggplant on a tawa (griddle pan). You could choose to deep fry the eggplant, though that’ll soak up a lot of oil. And this recipe of Baingan ka Raita doesn’t need as much oil.
Once the eggplant pieces are cooked and crispy around the edges, switch off the heat and move the eggplant pieces to the sides of the tawa, if you have a traditional Indian concave tawa. This will allow all the excess oil to flow back to the centre of the tawa. This will also let the fried eggplant cool down to ambient temperature without losing its crisp bite. If you’ve deep tried the eggplant pieces, place them on kitchen paper to drain the excess oil.
It is important to let the fried eggplant cool. You may end up with curdled yogurt, if you happen to add hot fried eggplant pieces to chilled yogurt.
While waiting for the fried eggplant to cool, finely chop the green chillies and fresh coriander. Add these to the dahi / yoghurt and whisk. Add salt along with cumin powder and black pepper powder to the yoghurt, mix well.
Once most of the oil is drained and the fried eggplant pieces are at ambient temperature, add about two-thirds of it to the whisked spiced yoghurt / dahi. Keep some of the fried eggplant aside for garnish.
Taste for seasoning and check consistency. If you like more yoghurt in your Baingan ka Raita, add some more as per your preference.
Once the baingan ka raita consistency is to your liking, garnish it with the balance fried eggplant pieces and a little more chopped coriander.
Now, mildly heat 1 tsp cooking oil or ghee. Get it off the heat and add red chilli powder to it. Mix and immediately pour this tadka over the Baingan ka Raita.
As with any tadka, always add the powder spices after you get the tadka oil off the heat. This will prevent your spice powder from burning and turning black.
Serve Baingan ka Raita chilled with any Indian meal. I served it with Ghiya Chane ki Daal (bottle gourd and Bengal gram dal), steamed rice and papad.
This recipe of Baingan ka Raita will make for a delicious accompaniment to a simple Paneer Bhurji or Beans Aloo too!
Take a look at the other Indian condiments and quick & simple under 20 minutes meal ideas on my Indian food recipe blog WhiskMixStir.
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