Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan (Eggplant Curry)

Start by washing the baby eggplants. Slit them lengthwise into quarters keeping the stem intact, so they open up but remain whole.

Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add dried red chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds until aromatic.

Add the baby eggplants to the pan, stir gently to coat with the tempering. Cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned, turning carefully to avoid breaking.

In a dry skillet, roast peanuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds until aromatic and slightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool.

Grind the roasted peanut, sesame, and coriander seeds with grated coconut and cumin powder into a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed to blend smoothly.

Mix tamarind paste with 2 cups of water to make tamarind water. Pour this into the pan with eggplants.

Add the coconut-spice paste to the pan. Stir gently to combine everything. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, dry mango powder (if using), salt, and sugar.

Cover and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplants are tender and the gravy thickens.

Adjust salt and spices as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves before serving.