Dahi baingan

Dahi baingan! Fried aubergines (baingan) are layered with whisked yoghurt (dahi) and a spicy tomato masala tempered with panch phoron for a delicious tang.  A perfect side dish and ready within 20-30 minutes. This was all for me as Yogesh doesn’t like this kind of stuff, but I happily ate all it! Ever since discovering the spice blend panch phoron I have been making all sorts of dishes with it. I've also been using it in chutneys and it really brings a delicious taste to any final dish. I particularly love using it with vegetables like aubergines, bhindi or potatoes. If you love aubergines then you will love this dish. You can serve it hot or cold - I personally prefer to have it when the tomato masala is warm!

Ingredients 
Serves 2-3

1 large aubergine 
2 large tomatoes finely diced 
1 medium sized onion finely diced 
Small piece of ginger finely chopped 
1/2 green chilli finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped 
Yoghurt as required (I used around 150ml)
Vegetable oil as required
Salt to taste 
Chopped coriander to garnish

You'll need these spices 
1 tsp panch phoron (Bengali Indian five spice mix) 
1/2 tsp kashmir red chilli powder 
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1/2 tsp coriander powder 

Method

• Top and tail the aubergine and slice into thin circles. Heat a few tbsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the aubergines in a single layer until golden and cooked through. Make sure to cook the aubergine slices on both sides. Add more oil if required, aubergines are like sponges and will absorb the oil. When the aubergine slices are soft and golden on both sides, set them aside on a plate. 
  
  
• Next, make the tomato masala. In the same pan you fried the aubergines in, add another tbsp of oil (or less depending on how much oil is left in the pan after cooking the aubergines). Once hot, add the panch phoron and let the spices sizzle. 
  
  
• Next, add the chopped onion and saute until translucent. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for a few minutes until the raw aroma goes away.
  
  
• Add the chopped tomatoes and saute until they are completely soft and when you see oil releasing from the sides of the mixture. Follow with the remaining spices and add salt to taste. Saute for a few more minutes and then turn of the heat. 
  
  
• Now start layering! In a bowl or suitable serving dish, spread over a thin layer of yoghurt (around 1 tbsp). Follow with around a third of the aubergine slices (or enough to cover your serving dish). Next, spread over a thin layer of the tomato masala (around 1 tbsp). 
  
  
• Repeat the layering of yoghurt-aubergine-masala until all the ingredients are finished. I like to finish the dish with yoghurt on top so make sure you save a little for the end. I ended up having quite a lot of layers as I used a small bowl. If you have a bigger dish, you will have fewer layers.
  
  
• Finally, garnish the dish with a sprinkling of coriander leaves and enjoy!