Recipe: Burani Banjaan

Burani Banjaan

Burani Banjaan, all served up!

BURANI BANJAAN is a salan, a side dish which is commonly served with a main dish (like rice) or which can be eaten alone with naan (Afghan bread). Burani Banjaan is a versatile dish as it is served not only in the home, but also at larger and more formal occasions such as weddings. It is a vegetarian dish made from aubergines in a delicious vegetable stock. Burani banjaan is a particular favourite in my household!

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil (we recommend olive oil), 10 tablespoons
• 2 fresh, whole aubergines, peeled and cut into large round, thick pieces
• 10 tablespoons of oil
• 4 tomatoes, chopped into round pieces
• 1 green chilli pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped into round pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Coriander and Dill (for decoration and taste)
• Sour yoghurt mixed with dry mint 

           

How to Prepare:

1. Add the cooking oil to a large, non-stick pan, at high heat
2. Once the oil is hot, add the aubergines. Turn them over with a fork to ensure they are evenly cooked.
3. Lower the heat and fry until the aubergines have a glowing, brown colour and are soft (see picture below). Lowering the heat will ensure the aubergine does not burn.
4. Once they are cooked, place the aubergine on a dish covered with a tissue to dry them.
5. Now fry the vegetables in the same saucepan for 6 minutes at medium heat (garlic, tomatoes, chillis). Add the salt and turmeric powder (for extra colour).
6. Then add the dried aubergines back into the saucepan. Gently mix the contents.
7. Add the lid to the saucepan and cook for another 15minutes at low heat.
8. If your saucepan has too much liquid, simply turn up the heat slightly and cook until the excess liquid evaporates.
9. In the meantime, prepare your serving dish. Smear a large, round, serving dish with the yoghurt and the dry mint.
10. Add the cooked aubergines and vegetables to the dish.
11. Cover the aubergines and vegetables with more yoghurt and dry mint.
12. Drip some of the vegetable stock from the saucepan onto the dish - this will give the Burani Banjaan its distinctive golden appearance.
13. Add fresh coriander and dill for decoration and taste.
14. You're ready to serve!

The fresh vegetables used in Burani Banjaan

The chopped vegetables and yoghurt used in the dish

Sliced aubergines frying in the saucepan

Vegetables in the saucepan. Look at the beautiful colours

Fried aubergines being dried on tissue

Cooked aubergines and vegetables before serving

Burani Banjaan, topped with sour yoghurt, coriander and dill