Methi Baingan is one of those wonderful sabzis my grandmother could prepare without even referring to a recipe. Fenugreek leaves and eggplant are mixed with any green chilies she could lay her hands on, providing a good balance of bitterness and heat in this simple dish. It is one of those foods, which you really can’t describe till you have tasted it with steaming hot rice. I think I have already prepared this a dozen times or so to get the balance of the greens with the eggplant just to my liking.
At a Glance:
- Methi Baingan is a highly flavorful dish made with fenugreek greens and eggplant.
- Soak the fenugreek leaves for some time and always select fresh eggplants for better taste.
- I finish cooking this dish within half an hour including 15 minutes of preparation time.
- Adjust the spiciness of the dish according to your preference by adding more or less spice.
- It tastes earthy, bitter and slightly spicy.
- Serve the dish with steamed rice or roti.
- Explore alternatives to this recipe, such as Methi Matar, Methi Chole, Methi Paneer, and Aloo Methi.
The Ingredients:
- Fenugreek leaves – 1 bowl (finely chopped and cleaned)
- Eggplant – 1 (cut into small pieces and cleaned)
- Garlic – 1 clove
- Green Chilies – 2 Nos (slit)
- Dry Chilies – 2 Nos
- Turmeric – 1 Tsp
- Mustard seeds – 2 Tsp
- Salt – as per taste
How to Make Methi Baingan (Step by Step Images)?
1. Add two dry red chillies, garlic, green chilli, brinjal, turmeric, a pinch of salt, and sauté everything.
(Pro Tip: I always keep the flame medium to low here because garlic burns fast and turns bitter in seconds.)
2. After 5 minutes of sautéing add the fenugreek greens. Add some salt as well.
3. When the water comes out from the greens, cover it with a lid. After 5 minutes open the lid and stir it well so that it gets fried well.
(Pro Tip: I do not add water at all since the greens release enough on their own.)
4. Methi Baingan is ready. Remove it as a whole in such a way that the oil and fenugreek get separated. Serve it with steamed rice, roti, chapati or paratha.
Give It a Twist
- I sometimes substitute eggplant with pumpkin which lends the curry a different flavor.
- I also add some crushed peanuts.
- Once I substituted eggplant with fresh drumstick pieces completely.
Methi Baingan Recipe Simple Solutions
Q: My methi tastes very bitter. What should I do?
A: Rub them with a pinch of salt and leave them for ten minutes before you begin step 1. Squeeze out the excess water because that is where the bitterness lies.
Q: Why did my eggplants turn mushy by the time the fenugreek was cooked?
A: I would suggest you cut them a bit bigger because they shrink down pretty quickly on heat.
Q: What if in step 3 the greens give out a lot of water?
A: Let it simmer uncovered for another 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame while you stir occasionally till the water dries up.
Recipe Card:
Methi Baingan (Fenugreek Green with Eggplant)
Ingredients
- Fenugreek leaves – 1 bowl finely chopped and cleaned
- Eggplant – 1 cut into small pieces and cleaned
- Garlic – 1 clove
- Green Chilies – 2 Nos slit
- Dry Chilies – 2 Nos
- Turmeric – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 2 Tsp
- Salt – as per taste
Instructions
- Add two dry red chilies, garlic, green chili, brinjal, turmeric, mustard seeds, a pinch of salt, and sauté everything. (Pro Tip: I always keep the flame medium to low here because garlic burns fast and turns bitter in seconds.)
- After 5 minutes of sautéing add the fenugreek greens. Add some salt as well.
- When the water comes out from the greens, cover it with a lid. After 5 minutes open the lid and stir it well so that it gets fried well. (Pro Tip: I do not add water at all since the greens release enough on their own.)
- Methi Baingan is ready. Remove it as a whole in such a way that the oil and fenugreek get separated. Serve it with steamed rice, roti, chapati or paratha.
