Dahi Baingan or Dahi Baigana - Marinated eggplants in lightly seasoned yogurt sauce with just the right balance of spice, tanginess, sweet, and absolute deliciousness!!!
I love EVERYTHING eggplant. Be it baingan bharta, bharwan baingan, eggplant parmesan, and so on. I have been making this Odia specialty in my kitchen for a while now, but never got down to sharing it here on the blog. I made a few changes along the way, instead of deep-frying the eggplants, I pan roast it in little oil, trying to keep things easy and healthy.
The best thing about this one is that it has subtle and soothing tones because of the flavorful yogurt sauce and can be paired with practically anything!!
I have made this dahi baingan using Instant Pot yogurt. I have been making yogurt at home for more than 15 years now, and in the Instant Pot for the past one year and haven't gone back to the traditional way since, as it's pretty much a fail-proof method. I have included the recipe here in case you want to give it a shot.......Here is how to make it!!!
Here are more such delicious recipe ideas!!!
How to make yogurt in Instant Pot
Making yogurt in Instant Pot is a breeze. All you need is milk and some starter culture (store-bought yogurt with an active culture).
- Pour 8 cups of milk in the inner steel insert of the Instant Pot. Close the lid with pressure valve in the venting position.
- Press the yogurt mode twice so the screen reads "Boil". Now press the start button.
- Once the Instant pot beeps after about 30 minutes, the temperature of the milk is around 180°F.
- Remove the inner pot and let the milk cool to about 105-110°F, takes about 45 minutes to reach that temperature. Check using a thermometer. If you don't have one, do a finger test, meaning dip your finger in the milk, it should be quite hot to touch but not burning hot.
- Once the right temperature is reached, stir in about 2 tablespoons of yogurt starter. Whisk well to combine.
- Place the inner pot back to the Instant Pot and close the lid.
- Press the yogurt button again (at Normal or Medium, depending on the model) and adjust until it reads 8:00. Press start.
- Once the Instant Pot beeps with display reading "Yogt", remove the inner pot, cover, and refrigerate for 6-8 hours to set before transferring to a container.
Ingredients
- 10-12 baby eggplants (brinjals, aubergines), cut into thin roundels
- 2 cup yogurt (made in Instant pot or store-bought)
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 2 whole green chilies, sliced lengthwise
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1.5 teaspoon paanch phoron - nigella seeds(kalonji), cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds(saunf), and fenugreek seeds(methi dana) in equal proportion
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon rock salt or kala namak
- 3 tablespoon oil, divided
- a pinch of asafoetida or hing
- salt to taste
For tempering (optional)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder
Instructions
- Marinate the eggplant roundels with salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and turmeric. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat.
- Once it's hot, place a single layer of eggplant roundels. Cook on both sides till golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.
- Similarly, cook the rest of the eggplants and get rid of the excess oil by placing them on a plate lined with paper towel.
- In the meantime, whisk yogurt in a bowl. Mix sugar and rock salt. Add a little water to achieve raita like consistency. Adjust salt if needed.
- Add one tablespoon oil in another pan. Once ready, add hing, paanch phoron, dry red chilies, green chilies, and curry leaves. Let the seeds crackle for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in grated ginger, saute for about 30 seconds.
- Then, add pan-roasted eggplant and toss nicely. Turn off the flame.
- Let the eggplant cool before finally adding to the yogurt mixture in the bowl.
- For tempering, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds and kashmiri chili powder. Let it sizzle for a few seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the dish.
- Serve with naan, paratha, roti, or rice!!!
Recipe Notes
- Add salt carefully as it's added in eggplant and yogurt both.
- This dish has mild flavors but adjust the spice level as per your preferences.
- Can easily be vegan by replacing yogurt with a non-dairy variety like coconut yogurt.
