Bagara Baingan — Aubergine in Tamarind-Nut Gravy (بغارہ بینگن)

Hyderabad; bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi Mughal hybrid — the nut-thickened technique originates in South Indian cuisine while the overall spice approach reflects Hyderabadi Mughal influence

Bagara baingan (بغارہ بینگن) is Hyderabad's signature aubergine preparation: small, round brinjal (baingan, preferably the round purple-white striped Hyderabadi variety) cooked whole in a thick, complex sauce made from ground peanuts, sesame seeds, dried coconut, and tamarind — a sauce that represents the meeting of South Indian nut-thickened gravies and North Indian spicing. The brinjal is first slit in a cross on the base (but not separated) and cooked in the sauce until it absorbs the tamarind-nut paste completely. The sauce's thickness comes entirely from the nut and seed paste — no flour, no cornstarch.

Served as the vegetable main alongside biryani or with roti. The thick, complex, tamarind-nut sauce with the soft, sauce-saturated brinjal is one of the most satisfying vegetarian preparations in Indian cuisine.