20 Indian Eggplant Recipes From All Over India

Looking for some delicious Indian eggplant recipes? You’ve come to the right place! Eggplant, also known as brinjal or baingan, is a key ingredient in many Indian dishes. Whether you’re looking for a tasty vegetarian curry or an easy way to incorporate eggplant into your diet, these recipes are sure to please.

Do you have baby eggplants in your refrigerator and don’t know what to make from them? Or perhaps, you grabbed the first green eggplant of the season from your garden and want to make a finger-licking dish from it. We have got you covered!

From traditional Indian eggplant curries to creative takes on the classic dish, we’ve got 20 Indian eggplant recipes that will tantalize your taste buds. So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!

Did you know that eggplant is regarded as the “King Of Vegetables” in India? Also known as Aubergines in the UK, this simple vegetable has various names in India. Commonly known as brinjal, they are also called “Baingan” in Hindi, “Venkaya” in Tamil, “Ringan” in Gujarati, and “Begun” in Bengali.

Take me to:

1. Simple Indian Eggplant Recipe

Regional Cuisine: South Indian

Eggplant curry is an easy-to-cook dish with fewer ingredients. The good thing about this dish is that the projection of favors is incredible with minimal use of spices! You can simply have this dish with plain rice or Tawa Rotis. You don’t need a party to have it; this flavorful dish can be one of your memorable dinners or lunches. This dish has enough gravy to enjoy with rice, but you can fry it for some time in the pan if you like thick gravy.

You can even use roasted eggplant in the curry, increasing the cooking duration. But the flavor it will add to the dish is worth trying once. I like this curry because I can have it anytime as it is easy to cook and a healthy vegetarian option.

2. Baingan Bharta

Regional Cuisine: Punjab (North India)

The aroma offered by this roasted smoky eggplant makes it an authentic mouthwatering dish. This dish has a unique position in the heart of every Indian family. It tastes fantastic with paratha and roti, but people enjoy it with plain rice as well.

Baingan Bharta is a bit spicy. The powerful aroma of green chili and fried garlic dominate the dish, which is the best part. It is a thick fried and semi-gravy dish.

There are two versions of this dish, both of which are amazing. In the first one, the roasted eggplant and all the species are again pan-fried before serving. While in the second version, the roasted eggplant is mixed with mustard oil, raw garlic, and green chili (without frying). Both are flavourful and worth trying.

3. Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan

Regional Cuisine: Hyderabad (South Indian)

Hyderabadi dishes are full of flavors and spices, and so as in this. This thick gravy of Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan is rich with peanuts, coconut, and sesame seeds. However, because of the thick tamarind juice, the tanginess of the dish is the best part.

It tastes delicious with flavored rice like biryani or pulao. One can add extra almond or cashew nuts to make the gravy richer. You can introduce this as a main vegetarian dish at small family parties.

4. Bharwa Baingan Curry

Regional Cuisine: North India

The gravy plays the game in this dish. The thick, rich and colorful factor is the most crucial in this authentic Bharwa Baingan Curry. It has a semi-thick gravy, but you can also dilute it as per your taste and need. A rice-daal combination and a full plate of Bharwa baingan will make your day.

You can use any eggplant if you plan to cook, but purple with white line eggplant goes well for me always. The best thing about this dish is that it tastes better when it is hot and spicy. Just like other North Indian dishes, this recipe is also a bit on the spicy side.

5. Achari Baingan

Regional Cuisine: Punjab (North India)

Ironically, this is not something that tastes like Indian pickles or achaar. Instead, the blend of masala and curd gives the dish a spicy Achari taste. Using prominent achari spices, including onion seeds, dry mango powder, mustard seeds, and garam masala, is a must.

This dish can taste good with naan or any Indian bread. The thick gravy will be a great option with tandoori roti as well. You have the freedom to add more veggies to the dish, or fresh paneer cubes are also a good option. It can be an interesting dish in the vegetarian section on festive days or special events.

6. Eggplant & Lentil Curry

Regional Cuisine: West Bengal

Eggplant & Lentils curry is a healthy dish you can choose for dinner. Although the red chili and red pepper flakes make this a bit hot and spicy. If you don’t like spicy food, then you can omit it. It tastes incredible with plain rice. The rice provides the base, so you can get all the flavors in this dish. The gravy is thick, but you can dilute it as needed.

7. Bharli Vangi

Regional Cuisine: Maharashtra (central India)

The thick cream gravy mixed with fried masala is the best part about Bharti Vangi. It has a rich, creamy color and the eggplant dipped in it looks so tasty, and the taste also reciprocates with it. The nuts and sesame seeds used in the recipe make the gravy perfectly thick and help to hold all the flavors of masalas used.

You can include this dish at marriage parties and prominent functions as it tastes good with multiple options like rice, naan, rumali roti, and all. The specialty of this dish is that it is generally prepared from baby eggplant, which soaks all the flavors of spices really well.

8. Undhiyu

Regional Cuisine: Gujarat (West India)

Undhiyu is a colorful dish having multiple veggies and the flavor of Indian spices. It is a semi-gravy or dry dish, but adding extra water can add more ‘rasa’ to the dish. The unique thing about this Undhiyu is that it is prepared in traditional Gujarati style in a clay pot. Clay pots are best for cooking this recipe as they retain the flavors of the spices.

You can have this dish any day, and it will add color and flavors to any boring lunch or dinner. It tastes good with Puri or Bhature. Gujaratis have a special connection with this dish as it reminds them of winter’s harvest bounty.

9. Baingan Methi

Regional Cuisine: North India

This dish comes from northern India, known for its spicy foods. This unique and adorable dish can fit into your everyday meal. There is one pro tip: add carom and fennel seeds; literally, it will give that authentic achaar taste to the dish.

The whole lot of spices used in this dish make it super flavourful. The dish is dry and has less or thick gravy. It will taste great with Phulka or rice. The aroma of this dish is so strong that you will try it again and again.

10. Baingan Ka Salan

Regional Cuisine: Hyderabad (South Indian)

Baingan Ka Salan is a spicy, tangy, and creamy yogurt-based curry with deep or shallow-fried eggplant simmered in yogurt gravy, green chilies, and spices.

The word “salan” means “gravy.” The creamy gravy of this recipe is made from coconut, sesame seeds, peanuts, spices, and tamarind, which make it gravy and give a unique flavor to the dish.

Baingan Ka Salan goes well as a side dish with Pulao and Biryani. This vegan dish looks normal but has a burst of flavors.

11. Eggplant Chutney

Regional Cuisine: South Indian

Eggplant Chutney is a gluten-free and vegan recipe made by mashing charcoal-grilled young eggplants. It’s later seasoned with spices and green chili.

Alternatively, you can cut the eggplants into small pieces and saute them. Then, you can crush the sauteed eggplant pieces with all the other ingredients and later shimmer them.

This authentic smoky dish blends the flavors of carom seeds with the smokiness of charcoal-grilled young eggplants, which makes it my favorite. It goes perfect as a side dish along with idli, dosa, chapati, rice & dal, and pesarattu.

12. Eggplant Tikka Masala

Regional Cuisine: Punjab

Eggplant Tikka Masala is a heavy creamy sweet, sour coconut-yogurt-based gravy with sliced eggplant pieces cooked twice in butter.

The rich and mild taste of the curry with tender eggplants stuffed with masalas makes it a finger-licking recipe. It’s a high-fiber, low-calorie, and vegan alternative to Paneer Tikka Masala.

You can add chickpeas and red kidney beans to make this dish healthier. As a vegetarian alternative to Chicken Tikka Masala, this dish goes well with any Indian bread, steamed rice, or Jeera rice.

13. Eggplant Mustard Curry

Regional Cuisine: West Bengal

Eggplant Mustard Curry, also known as Begun Basanti, is a yellow-colored thick gravy with golden fried crisp eggplants. Although it’s a creamy and light dish, this Bengali cuisine is full of flavor.

This tangy-spicy gravy is vegan and gluten-free. You can serve it as a main course with steamed rice and other curries. The use of poppy seed paste and mustard seed paste makes it rich, delicious, and mouthwatering. It’s a great dish to showcase your culinary skills before your guests at the dinner table.

14. Baingan Musallam

Regional Cuisine: Hyderabadi

Baingan Musallam is a rich, creamy, and tangy tomato-based gravy with small eggplants. If you don’t have small eggplants, you can cut regular-sized eggplants into long wedges and use them to make this recipe.

The combination of cream and spices makes it a perfect Mughlai dish. In addition, the delicious combination of small-sized eggplants with canned tomato puree imparts a unique taste, flavor, aroma, and hue to the dish.

You can easily serve it as a main course dish with Pulao / Biriyani and Raita, and it’s a mouthwatering dinner recipe for parties and celebrations.

15. Khatta Meetha Baingan

Regional Cuisine: North Indian

Khatta Meetha Baingan, also known as Sweet and Sour Eggplant, is a thin gravy with sliced eggplants dunked in it and sauteed with spices.

It’s a vegan easy-to-make recipe that you can make with minimal spices—worried about what to prepare for your kid’s lunch box? This recipe goes really well with Roti and Paratha and, thus, is a perfect lunchbox recipe.

You can modify this dish according to your tastebuds’ demands. You can prepare this recipe either using curd or tomatoes and tamarind. This dish’s achari, tangy, sweet, and spicy flavor makes it my favorite! It’s also a perfect delicacy for celebrations, special occasions, and potlucks.

You can make this dish healthier by soaking the eggplants in cold salty water first and then roasting the soaked eggplants in an oven.

16. Malai Baingan

Regional Cuisine: Lucknow

Malai Baingan is an easy, creamy, and spicy tomato gravy with pan-roasted brinjals and caramelized onions. The dish’s simplicity lies in the fact that it can be prepared with minimal ingredients and can turn every bland meal flavorsome.

This keto Indian eggplant curry has the perfect combination of meaty chopped eggplant and creamy, spicy sauce. You can enjoy this curry with rice, phulka roti, or biriyani. It’s an ideal dinner recipe that you can include at parties.

17. Eggplant Curry With Chickpeas

Regional Cuisine: North Indian

Eggplant curry with chickpeas is a great summertime vegan and gluten-free recipe. It has a thick creamy gravy made of coconut milk shimmered with easy roasted eggplant and various spices.

This nutritious and filling dish is an excellent combination with Basmati White Rice. The best part of the recipe is the way eggplants are cooked. They are crispy on the outside and the softest on the inside. It’s an incredibly delightful mid-week lunch or dinner option.

18. Gutti Vankaya Kura

Regional Cuisine: Andhra Pradesh

Gutti Vankaya Kura, much similar to the Ennegayi or Badanekai recipe of North India, is a creamy, thick, spicy peanut-based gravy with tender small-sized eggplants cooked in it along with spices like sesame seeds.

The exciting part about this dish is you can customize this in various ways. My favorite one is the one with stuffed brinjals (i.e., brinjal stuffed with spices are used). This recipe goes along with White Rice, Jeera Rice, Biryani, or Chapati.

19. Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

Regional Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu has a tomato-tamarind-based thin gravy in which half-shallow cooked tender small-sized brinjals stuffed with masalas are cooked.

This Tamil Nadu Cuisine is well known for its sour and spicy taste and complex flavor, which you can enjoy with steamed rice, roti, or chapati. The flavor of roasted brinjals coated with masala makes it an appropriate lunch recipe.

20. Dahi Baingan

Regional Cuisine: Odisha

Dahi Baigana is a light curd-based gravy with pan-fried baby eggplants dunked in it and topped with spices. The name of this dish comes from two Indian words; “Dahi,” which means “curd,” and “Baingan,” which means “brinjal.”

It is a silky, flavor-packed gravy with soft brinjals dunked in it and layered with kasoori methi, garam masala, and other common spices.

Even with minimalistic spices, you can prepare a lip-smacking side dish. This easy-to-put-together dish goes well with rice or pulao. The best part about the dish is you can customize it (make it sweet or sour) according to your taste buds’ desires.

You can prepare this dish beforehand, which makes it a perfect side dish for parties and potlucks.

Conclusion

Did these eggplant recipes make your water mouth? The diversity of spices in Indian food makes Indian recipes flavourful, giving your tastebuds an explosion of flavors. Try them once, and you’ll keep craving more and more. Do you want to try any of the above eggplant recipes? Go ahead and let us know which one is your favorite.