About Begun Bhaja
The Bengali word “Begun” or the Hindi word “Baingan” means eggplant or brinjals or aubergines. In Bengali language the word “Bhaja” means fries. I simply adore eggplants. Stir fried, roasted, mashed…Any way they are prepared I am sure to love them! With a terrifically toothsome exterior and lightly flavored flesh, they are a very versatile ingredient that pairs well with nearly any dish. Today I’m sharing with you my mom’s recipe for the popular Bengali style Begun Bhaja. These are fried eggplants, or eggplant fries, made by coating aubergine slices with vibrant Indian spices and rice flour, then shallow frying in mustard oil on the stovetop to crispy perfection. There is nothing complicated here: just wholesome ingredients kept simple so that the great flavors and textures really shine. Generally the traditional version is made by simply frying the eggplant slices coated with ground spices. But in my recipe I dredge the eggplant with some rice flour. This helps to give some crispy taste to the fries. The spiced eggplant slices can also be baked or air-fried. I have listed the baking and air-frying details in the ‘faqs section’ and in the recipe card below. Baingan Bhaja is easy to make in under 30 minutes, and are great to enjoy for a hearty snack or casual lunch. Try this recipe as a gluten-free and vegan-friendly dish whenever you need some (fried :)) veggies on the plate as a side dish!
How to make Begun Bhaja
Prep and Marinate Baingan (Eggplant)
To make the Begun Bhaja you need the large variety of eggplant similar to the one which we use for Baingan Bharta or Baba Ganoush. The larger varieties of brinjal have less seeds and more flesh.
- Rinse 1 large eggplant (350 to 375 grams or 1.5 to 2 cups when sliced) and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Slice them into 0.5 cm (¼ inch) width rounds. Optional step: To get rid of bitterness of the eggplant, place them in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps to remove the bitter juices if any from them. Pat the eggplant slices dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon sugar and salt to taste. To add some tangy taste and more flavor, you can add about ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder (amchur powder).
- Mix and rub the spices and salt on the slices evenly.
- Set aside and let the eggplant slices marinate for 5 to 7 minutes while you gather the remaining ingredients.
Dredge Eggplant
- Now add 5 to 6 tablespoons rice flour to a plate. If you prefer you can skip coating the slices with rice flour. But omitting rice flour will make them less crispy and they will absorb more oil. You can also use besan (gram flour) or chickpea flour or semolina (sooji) or all-purpose flour for dredging.
- Take each slice and place it on the rice flour.
- Coat the slices evenly by turning all around the flour. Dust off the remaining rice flour by gently tapping the slices.
Make Baingan Bhaja
- In a shallow frying pan or skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of mustard oil or preferred neutral-flavored oil. Place the brinjal slices in the hot oil. You want to be sure that the pan isn’t too crowded or they won’t fry properly. So you might need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan.
- When one side is crisp and golden, turn over each slice.
- Fry the second side until golden. You can flip back and forth a couple of times for even cooking. A way to check if the eggplant is cooked is by piercing it with a knife. If the eggplant has become tender and softened, the knife will pass through it easily without any resistance.
- Place the fried brinjal slices on kitchen paper towels so that the extra oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining dredged eggplant slices in batches. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons mustard oil or as required later while frying the remaining batches.
- Serve Begun Bhaja immediately while hot and crispy. You can have them as a side vegetable fried dish with a comforting meal of dal and steamed rice or khichdi with some yogurt or with roti or bread. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Aloo Bhaja | Bengali Style Alu Bhaja Kurkuri Bhindi (Indian Fried Okra) Karela Fry | Bitter Gourd Fry | Kakarakaya Fry Baby Corn Fry (Baby Corn Pepper Fry) This Begun Bhaja post from the blog archives first published in August 2009 has been republished and updated on 2nd September 2021.
title: “Begun Bhaja Baingan Bhaja " ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-01” author: “Karen Bigham”
About Begun Bhaja
The Bengali word “Begun” or the Hindi word “Baingan” means eggplant or brinjals or aubergines. In Bengali language the word “Bhaja” means fries. I simply adore eggplants. Stir fried, roasted, mashed…Any way they are prepared I am sure to love them! With a terrifically toothsome exterior and lightly flavored flesh, they are a very versatile ingredient that pairs well with nearly any dish. Today I’m sharing with you my mom’s recipe for the popular Bengali style Begun Bhaja. These are fried eggplants, or eggplant fries, made by coating aubergine slices with vibrant Indian spices and rice flour, then shallow frying in mustard oil on the stovetop to crispy perfection. There is nothing complicated here: just wholesome ingredients kept simple so that the great flavors and textures really shine. Generally the traditional version is made by simply frying the eggplant slices coated with ground spices. But in my recipe I dredge the eggplant with some rice flour. This helps to give some crispy taste to the fries. The spiced eggplant slices can also be baked or air-fried. I have listed the baking and air-frying details in the ‘faqs section’ and in the recipe card below. Baingan Bhaja is easy to make in under 30 minutes, and are great to enjoy for a hearty snack or casual lunch. Try this recipe as a gluten-free and vegan-friendly dish whenever you need some (fried :)) veggies on the plate as a side dish!
How to make Begun Bhaja
Prep and Marinate Baingan (Eggplant)
To make the Begun Bhaja you need the large variety of eggplant similar to the one which we use for Baingan Bharta or Baba Ganoush. The larger varieties of brinjal have less seeds and more flesh.
- Rinse 1 large eggplant (350 to 375 grams or 1.5 to 2 cups when sliced) and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Slice them into 0.5 cm (¼ inch) width rounds. Optional step: To get rid of bitterness of the eggplant, place them in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps to remove the bitter juices if any from them. Pat the eggplant slices dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon sugar and salt to taste. To add some tangy taste and more flavor, you can add about ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon of dry mango powder (amchur powder).
- Mix and rub the spices and salt on the slices evenly.
- Set aside and let the eggplant slices marinate for 5 to 7 minutes while you gather the remaining ingredients.
Dredge Eggplant
- Now add 5 to 6 tablespoons rice flour to a plate. If you prefer you can skip coating the slices with rice flour. But omitting rice flour will make them less crispy and they will absorb more oil. You can also use besan (gram flour) or chickpea flour or semolina (sooji) or all-purpose flour for dredging.
- Take each slice and place it on the rice flour.
- Coat the slices evenly by turning all around the flour. Dust off the remaining rice flour by gently tapping the slices.
Make Baingan Bhaja
- In a shallow frying pan or skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of mustard oil or preferred neutral-flavored oil. Place the brinjal slices in the hot oil. You want to be sure that the pan isn’t too crowded or they won’t fry properly. So you might need to work in batches depending on the size of your pan.
- When one side is crisp and golden, turn over each slice.
- Fry the second side until golden. You can flip back and forth a couple of times for even cooking. A way to check if the eggplant is cooked is by piercing it with a knife. If the eggplant has become tender and softened, the knife will pass through it easily without any resistance.
- Place the fried brinjal slices on kitchen paper towels so that the extra oil is absorbed. Fry the remaining dredged eggplant slices in batches. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons mustard oil or as required later while frying the remaining batches.
- Serve Begun Bhaja immediately while hot and crispy. You can have them as a side vegetable fried dish with a comforting meal of dal and steamed rice or khichdi with some yogurt or with roti or bread. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Aloo Bhaja | Bengali Style Alu Bhaja Kurkuri Bhindi (Indian Fried Okra) Karela Fry | Bitter Gourd Fry | Kakarakaya Fry Baby Corn Fry (Baby Corn Pepper Fry) This Begun Bhaja post from the blog archives first published in August 2009 has been republished and updated on 2nd September 2021.
