Pan fried eggplant or baingan bhaja. Upgrade your favorite vegetable with quick and easy pan fried eggplant slices. They’re coated with flour for extra crunch, and loaded with simple spices for unique rich flavor. Delicious side, appetizer, or snack idea!
Simple pan frying is the tried and true way to cook vegetables and let them shine. Depending on the flavors you add, it summons absolute deliciousness. And in fact, they are also a treasure trove of nutrition making them a must addition to your diet. However, prepping and cooking veggies like eggplants or aubergines may sound complicated, and pan frying with a little spice is my favorite and simplest way to make them tasty.
Baingan Bhaja or Pan Fried Eggplant Recipe
Prep the eggplant or aubergine - First, slice the eggplants into thick slices. Sprinkle them with plenty of salt and use a paper towel to remove all the moisture. You can also rinse under cold running water and then let them dry before adding to the spice mixture. Add spices and pan fry - Pan fried eggplant slices will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. To achieve this texture, combine flour or even besan (chickpea flour or gram flour) with spices like ground turmeric and red chili powder. Coat the eggplants in this mixture, and pan fry in a little oil.
More Eggplant Recipes: Eggplant Pizza Eggplant Coconut Curry
Ingredients
Spice mixture:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon all purpose flour plain flour
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ Salt to taste
Eggplant fry:
- ▢ 1 large eggplant or aubergine cut into 1 and ½ cm thick slices
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- To make the spice mixture, combine together flour, ground turmeric, and red chili powder in a small bowl. Season with salt. Set aside.
- Place eggplants in a platter or a flat work surface. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Using a paper towel, wipe off excess moisture from the slices.
- Coat eggplants with the spice mixture. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet and add eggplant slices.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until crisp and light brown.
- Flip and cook the other side for about 1-2 minutes or until browned.
- Fry in batches if needed.
Video
Notes
- Traditionally, mustard oil is used in this recipe, but I have opted for vegetable oil
- You can substitute all purpose or plain flour with gram flour (besan or chickpea flour) for gluten free version
Nutrition
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Ingredients
Spice mixture:
- ▢ 1 tablespoon all purpose flour plain flour
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ Salt to taste
Eggplant fry:
- ▢ 1 large eggplant or aubergine cut into 1 and ½ cm thick slices
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- To make the spice mixture, combine together flour, ground turmeric, and red chili powder in a small bowl. Season with salt. Set aside.
- Place eggplants in a platter or a flat work surface. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Using a paper towel, wipe off excess moisture from the slices.
- Coat eggplants with the spice mixture. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet and add eggplant slices.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until crisp and light brown.
- Flip and cook the other side for about 1-2 minutes or until browned.
- Fry in batches if needed.
Video
Notes
- Traditionally, mustard oil is used in this recipe, but I have opted for vegetable oil
- You can substitute all purpose or plain flour with gram flour (besan or chickpea flour) for gluten free version
