Recipe: Begun Basanti

This is an authentic Bengali dish cooked with rich flavours of mustard, poppy seeds , coconut and yoghurt.
These beautiful flavours infuse together to make it extra rich and palatable.

1. Soak 2 tsp black mustard seeds, 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds and 2 tsp poppy seeds for 15 mins in warm water.

2. Strain the water after 15 mins and blend it with 1/4 tsp salt, 4 green chillies, 2 tbsp fresh shredded coconut and 1/4 cup water and make a paste.

3. Coat the brinjals well with the 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and fry on both sides until they turn slightly golden in 4 tbsp mustard oil. keep aside.

4. In the same oil, add the nigella seeds and the slit green chillies and fry for 1 minute.

5. Add the coconut and mustard blended paste into the oil and cook for 4-5 mins on low to medium flame by stirring at regular intervals.

6. Wash the mixing jar with 1/4 water and add the water into the gravy, so that you don’t miss out on the remaining rich blended masala.

7. Cook the gravy on low to medium flame for another 4-5 mins. add 1/2 tsp turmeric,1/2 tsp chilli powder, salt and sugar to it and cook the gravy until it starts releasing oil.

8. Add the yoghurt, green chillies and give it a good mix. cover and cook for 3-4 mins.

9. Add the fried brinjals to this and toss little of the gravy masala on top of the brinjals using a spoon (don’t stir too much or brinjal will break) and cover and cook for another 5 mins or until gravy thickens and serve.

10. Tastes best with hot steamed rice.