Kashmiri Dahi Bainganย is an authentic, flavorfulย Indian eggplant curryย cooked in curd-based gravy. This is an easy and quick side dish. Dahi baingan curry is gluten-free also.
This is my 3rd way of making dahi baingan. Recently I have shared 2 other Dahi baingan and I'm in love with all three types of it. This Kashmiri dahi baingan has a distinct flavor from the fennel seeds used.
My 1st dahi baingan is basically made in eastern states like Kolkata and Odisha. That is completely flourless and curd is not cooked in fact. Read my Odia Dahi Baigana recipe and North Indian Dahi Baingan recipe here. So I have a post (Dahi baingan 3 ways) where I have compiled the 3 in one place.
Kashmiri Dahi Baingan
Kashmir is also in North India, but the cuisine is unique. I'm using curd and tomatoes as a gravy base in this Kashmiri Dahi Baingan. It doesn't contain any flour as well. Here, if you wish to make a no-onion, no-garlic dahi baingan, this is perfect for you.
The distinct aroma in Kashmiri cuisines like this or Kashmiri dum aloo comes from fennel seeds or saunf. When preparing my Kashmiri Dum Aloo for the first time, I was unsure about adding saunf powder to my gravy. But I did it as a trial. And trust me, the taste is something different, and I loved that.
This is one of the easiest side dishes. You can also make this as your main course with rice or any of the flatbreads.
Read here about the health benefits of eggplants and other eggplant recipes on the blog.
What is dahi baingan?
Dahi baingan is an Indian eggplant curry in which eggplant or aubergine is cooked in a curd-based gravy with distinct spices. The spices give the gravy a different flavor.
Is this curry vegan?
Authentic Kashmiri baingan or any dahi baingan is not vegan since we use curd as the main ingredient here. If you wish, you can try with non-dairy curd, too. Honestly, I have not tried the vegan version of this yet, but it will not give that authentic flavor, I guess.
Is this curry gluten-free?
Yes, dahi baingan is a gluten-free and flour-free recipe.
What spices are used in Kashmiri dahi baingan?
Kashmiri dahi baingan is a flavorful curry made with curd-based gravy and spices. Though it doesn't need any fancy spices, some spices play an important role in making this curry, which is different from other dahi baingan recipes. That is fennel powder, which brings a sweet flavor to the gravy.
A little tangy, a little sweeter flavor makes it delicious. Other than that, regular spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, etc. In addition, I love to add asafoetida or hing to my curd-based gravy for an extra punch of flavor.
Shall I use Kashmiri chili powder in this recipe?
Use Kashmiri chili powder for a rich red color. Otherwise, regular chili powder is also perfect. You can adjust the quantity according to taste.
How To Make Kashmiri Dahi Baingan?
Clean and chop brinjals into the desired size.
Shallow fry them till soft and browned.
Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Add some more oil to the pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Add hing and other spices (coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder).
Saute for a minute. Then add curd and tomato puree to the pan. Keep stirring till it starts to boil.
Add water as per the required consistency. Now add fried brinjals and simmer for another 3 - 5 minutes.
Turn off heat when reached desired consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Recipe Card For Kashmiri Dahi Baingan
Kashmiri Dahi Baingan
Ingredients
- 250 gms brinjal
- 1 cup curd
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chilli
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ยฝ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 ยฝ tsp fennel powder (saunf powder)
- ยฝ tsp salt (or as per taste)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash and clean brinjals.
- Chop into desired size.
- Heat 3 - 4 tbsp oil in a pan.
- Shallow fry brinjal pieces on low heat.
- Cover with a lid and flip/ stir in between.
- Remove from heat when done and keep aside.
- In the meanwhile make a puree of tomatoes, curd, ginger and green chilli.
- In the same pan add 1 tbsp ghee/ oil.
- Add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
- Then add all dry spices mentioned above in ingredient list.
- keep heat on low flame to avoid burning.
- You can also add 2 tbsp water to spices to avoid burning.
- After 15 - 20 seconds add puree and keep stirring continuously.
- Add ยฝ cup water and keep stirring till it starts to boil.
- Now add fried brinjals and give it a nice stir.
- Simmer for 3 - 5 minutes or till you get desired consistency.
- Turn off heat and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with paratha or with rice.
Nutrition
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