Name: Bihari Aloo Baingan Badi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 125 g Eggplant, baingan, cut into large cubes; 1 Potato, peeled and cut into large cubes; ¼ cup Urad Dal Vadi, small sun-dried lentil dumplings (badi/adouri); 1 Tomato, roughly chopped; ½ tsp Panch Phoran, Bengali/Bihari five-spice blend; ½ tbsp Garlic, crushed into paste, Bihari sabzis use prominent garlic; 1 Green Chili Pepper, slit; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ¾ tsp Ground Coriander; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder; 1½ tbsp Mustard Oil, essential for authentic flavor; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; 1 cup Water; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

40 mintotal

35 min hands-on5 min hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Medium

Add to your week

Method

Heat mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed kadhai until it smokes. Lower the heat.
Add the Urad Dal Vadi (Adouri) to the hot oil. Fry them continuously on low-medium heat for 2 minutes until they turn a deep golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2 min
In the same oil, add the Panch Phoran (five-spice blend) and let it splutter.
Add the garlic paste and slit green chillies. Sauté for 30 seconds until the garlic is aromatic.
30 sec
Add the potato cubes. Fry them in the spiced oil for 5 minutes until they develop a slight crust.
5 min
Add the eggplant (baingan) cubes. Toss well with the potatoes and cook for another 3 minutes.
3 min
Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder, and salt. Stir to coat the vegetables in the spices.
Pour in the measured water. Add the fried Vadi back into the pan. Bring to a boil.
Cover the pan and simmer on low-medium heat for 12-15 minutes. The Vadi will absorb water and become soft and spongy, and the eggplant will melt into the gravy.
12–15 min
Once the potatoes and Vadi are completely tender, uncover and lightly mash a few pieces of eggplant to thicken the broth. Turn off the heat.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

How to tell it's done

Extremely soft, spongy dumplings and firm potatoes sitting in a robust, garlic-and-mustard infused light broth enriched by melted eggplant.

Getting it right

Tip

Unlike Punjabi Wadiyan, Bihari Adouri are smaller and milder. They soak up the flavors of the mustard oil and garlic beautifully, acting like vegetarian meat-sponges in the curry.

What to serve it with

A nostalgic, rustic Bihari lunch. Must be served with steaming hot Dal and Rice.

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Ingredients