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Aloo baingan curry is made with brinjal and potato slices along with ginger, garlic, tomato, onion, chilies and a variety of whole and powdered spices. Follow my detail recipe to learn the steps to make aloo baingan curry at home, just like you get in a restaurant.

Table of Contents

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Aloo baingan curry is a wonderful and versatile side dish that will enhance your dining experience.
Serve it with hot plain rice, jeera rice, lemon rice, pulao, or any Indian bread.

Aloo baingan curry tastes creamy, spicy, and earthy.
Other similar curries are baingan masala curry, aloo tamatar curry, baingan bharta, and aloo Shimla mirch curry.

The Ingredients:

500 gram brinjal (small size)
3 pieces potato (medium size)
1 piece ginger (3-inch size)
18 cloves garlic
6 tbsp cooking oil (3 tbsp for frying potato and brinjal slices, 3 tbsp for making the sabzi)
1 tsp cumin seeds (whole)
1 piece black cardamom
2 pieces bay leaves
1 piece cinnamon (inch size stick)
2 pieces green chilies (each broken in half)
2 pieces onion (large size, finely sliced)
1 piece tomato (large size, finely chopped)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
¼ cup water

One day I met a very sweet lady in a cooking workshop. While talking, we came to know that both of us like to try new recipes at home alone. She told me that these recipes give her a lot of relief after a tiring day. When I hesitantly asked her for this particular recipe, she explained each step with great passion.

I made the dish on the following weekend. My husband said it soothed the senses, and my sons, who are usually not fond of brinjals, said it tasted very nice and felt creative. Now, it is quite a common dish in our menu. That conversation with the lady reminded me that art does not stop at the table; sometimes it bubbles quietly in pots and comes alive on plates.

How to Make Aloo Baingan Curry? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take 500 gram of whole brinjals (small size) and 3 pieces of potatoes (medium size) and wash them. Peel the potatoes. Keep them all on a plate.

Step 2: Cut the brinjals in half and then into three pieces leaving a bit of stalk in them as shown. Also, cut the potatoes in the same way (first in half and then into three pieces) but in smaller or thinner slices.

(Pro tip: The size of the brinjal slices should be larger than potato slices as they get cooked quicker than potatoes. Leaving a portion of the stalk gives a nice look to the dish and does not affect its taste. After cutting the potatoes and brinjals, put them both in water immediately or else they will quickly turn black in color and affect the look and color of the final dish).

Step 3: Now, take 1 piece of ginger (3-inch size, peeled, diced into small pieces) and about 18 cloves of deskinned garlic in a mortar and pestle. Grind them coarsely.

(Pro tip: Coarsely ground ginger and garlic enhances the taste further in each bite. For further taste and flavor enhancement, you can also add 2 pieces of crushed green chilies to it at this stage).

Step 4: Take a deep-bottom pan or kadai and heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil. When the oil is hot, put the sliced potatoes. Stir them continuously. Flip them individually as well.

Step 5: Fry the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes until they turn slightly golden in color. Check the doneness. Strain the oil and remove the fried potatoes from the pan. Keep the fried potatoes on a plate aside.

Step 6: Now, put the brinjals slices in the same oil. Fry them for 2 to 3 minutes until you notice the brinjal slices have started to change their color as shown in the image below.

Step 7: Remove them carefully without breaking or spoiling the shape. Keep the fried brinjal slices in a separate plate aside.

Step 8: Now, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in the kadai again and put 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 piece of black cardamom, 2 pieces of bay leaves, and 1 piece of cinnamon (inch size stick). Fry them for 30 seconds. When you smell the aroma of the fried spices, add the crushed garlic and ginger in it. Fry them for a minute. Then add 2 pieces of green chilies (each broken in half). Again, fry it for about half a minute.

Step 9: Now, add 2 pieces of onion (large size, finely sliced) to it. Mix and fry the onion on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn soft and translucent, as shown in the figure below.

Step 10: Then, add 1 piece of tomato (large, finely chopped).

(Pro tip: Using more onions and tomato enhances the taste of the aloo baingan curry significantly).

Step 11: Mix, cover, and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 12: After 3 to 4 minutes, remove the cover. By now, the tomatoes will have turned soft and mushy. Now, add the remaining spices to it like 1 tsp of turmeric powder, 2 tsp of red chili powder, 2 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of cumin powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, and salt to taste.

(Pro tip: You can add only 1 tsp of red chili powder if you want. Also, you can add little bit of salt here and then the remaining in the end after tasting the aloo baingan curry).

Step 13: Mix and cover it to let the spices cook nicely for about 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. After 4 minutes, remove the cover and check the spices. The oil should start separating by now, and the tomatoes, onions and spices will have blended perfectly.

Step 14: Now, add the fried potatoes and brinjal slices.

Step 15: Mix them nicely with the spices. Cover the pan and let it cook on a medium flame for about 15 minutes.

(Pro tip: You can remove the lid and stir them a couple of times in between to ensure these are not burnt or do not stick to the bottom of the kadai).

Step 16: Check the potatoes after 15 minutes. They should be soft and done perfectly by now. You can keep the sabzi dry or add ¼ cup of water at this stage for slight gravy. Cover and cook it further for 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame.