Beguni
Beguni is an eggplant dish from the Bengal region of India. The eggplants are breaded in chickpea batter and deep-fried and eaten either hot or cold.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Level: Easy
Quantity: Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
150 g chickpea flour
50 g rice flour
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
0.5 tsp hot chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
Water for making the batter
Cooking oil for frying or deep-frying
Preparation:
- Cut the eggplants lengthwise into even 3 mm thick slices. It is best to use a mandoline or electric slicer for this.
- Mix all the dry ingredients for the batter together and add water. Don’t add too much water right away; the dough should be a little thinner than sour cream, but not quite runny.
- Mix the mixture until smooth, adding water a little at a time if necessary.
- Heat a few cm thick layer of cooking oil in a pan over high heat.
- Dip an eggplant slice into the batter, coat both sides of the eggplant slice with batter, let the remaining batter drip off, and carefully place the eggplant slice in the hot oil.
- Spoon oil onto the top layer of the eggplant slice and turn it over after a few dozen seconds.
- Fry the eggplants until golden brown. The batter may expand slightly around the eggplant slices; that’s how it should be. Be sure to fry the eggplant slices in a single layer. I was able to fit two slices side by side in the pan.
- Place the finished eggplants on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- Serve the finished Begun immediately warm or later cold. Goes well with Indian sauces, such as Raita.
Ready!!
