Bharvan Baingan With Methi Thepla

I have a different kind of recipe treat for you, folks! You all know I’m crazy for exploring and studying multi-cultural anything. Therefore, I’m happy to have my blogger friend Shivani here guest posting about bharvan baingan with methi thepla (stuffed eggplant with Indian flatbread) today. Shivani blogs at Veggie Bus on Simple Route, where she focuses on vegetarian Indian and western food.

Binjals, a variety of eggplant, are a popular food in India, due to their reputation for great health benefits and their adaptability for different preparation methods. Read ahead as Shivani shows us her particular method for making her spicy stuffed eggplant along with an Indian flatbread made of fenugreek leaves to round out the meal. Please let Shivani know what you think about her bharvan baingan with methi thepla.

Bharvan Baingan|Stuffed Eggplant|How to Make Stuffed Brinjal

I am a big fan of brinjal/eggplant. Serve it in any form, and I will eat the whole serving by myself.

But that’s not the case with my hubby and son. They hate eggplant. In fact, they tease each other by calling each other baingan(uff).

So I have to keep searching ways of feeding them this versatile veggie.This bharvan baingain is one such attempt.
This dish is popular in north India, and it is a very old recipe of my mother. I am so proud to put it on the blog as it has been in my family for generations.

Preparation time:20 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes
Serves:3 to 4

Ingredients:

8 to 10 medium sized brinjals
4 bay leaves
6 to 10 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking brinjals)
3 cups water (for cooking)

For stuffing:

3 to 4 medium sized onions (finely chopped)
1 ginger (paste)
4 cloves garlic (paste)
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp turmeric powder
4 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dry mango powder
Salt as per taste
4 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying onions)
1 cup water

RECIPE FOR BHARVAN BAINGAIN

For making stuffing, take a large frying pan. Add vegetable oil in the pan, and keep it on high heat. Add chopped onions to the pan, and saute them until golden brown.
Add ginger garlic paste to the onions, and cook till raw smell of garlic goes away.
Now add fennel seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder to the pan. Mix well and keep stirring. Now add water to the mix, and let it cook on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes till water evaporates.
Now add salt, dry mango powder, and garam masala. Mix well. Cook for 2 minutes, take it off heat, and let it cool.
For the brinjals, if the stems are green and fresh, keep them. Otherwise, chop them off. Slit the brinjals in the shape of a cross. But don’t let the knife pass completely through it. This way we are making a space to fill the stuffing.
With the help of a spoon, fill the stuffing in each brinjal.

Take the large frying pan again, and put vegetable oil in it. Keep it on low flame. Add bay leaves to the pan. Place brinjals in the frying pan,well spaced. Now, add water to the pan. Cover the pan, and let it cook for 25 minutes. After every 5 to 8 minutes, open the pan and flip the brinjals so as to avoid charring.
Once the brinjals are all soft and look perfectly roasted, take the pan off heat.
Serve them hot with Indian flatbreads like Methi thepla.

Methi Thepla|Indian Flatbread of Fenugreek Leaves

I first started making methi thepla around six years back. A dentist friend of mine (remembering you, Vijeta) who hails from Gujarat made it in front of me in her kitchen, and I learned from her.

One bite of this flatbread, and I was sure that I would save this recipe forever. In fact, I am surprised that I hadn’t shared this recipe with you all earlier.

Most of my friends are Gujaratis, and thepla is their staple snack. Munch it on the go or while you are relaxing at home. There is no way you are not going to like methi thepla.

Multitasking moms and young cooks, please save this recipe because it is LOW IN EFFORT AND HIGH IN RESULT.

Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time:30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup fenugreek leaves/methi leaves (finely chopped)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup bengal gram flour/besan
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt as required
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups curd for kneading (or more if required)
Vegetable oil for roasting theplas

RECIPE FOR METHI THEPLA:

In a bowl, add whole wheat flour, bengal gram flour, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt, turmeric powder, and vegetable oil to the bowl.
Mix everything well. Add curd to the bowl and start kneading. Knead well until you get soft yet firm dough.
Now make small balls of this dough. Sprinkle wheat flour on kitchen counter, and start rolling one ball at a time into a thin thepla of around 6″ diameter.
Place a skillet on low flame. Place thepla on the skillet, and apply vegetable oil on it.
After one minute, flip the thepla, and apply vegetable oil on this side. Flip a couple of times until you get golden brown spots on the thepla.
Take the thepla off the heat, and keep it covered in a basket to avoid drying. Serve it hot with pickle or plain curd.

Thank you, Shivani, for sharing this beautiful Indian dish of bharvan baingan with methi thepla. It feels empowering to learn more about other cultures, and I definitely learned some things from Shivani about Indian foods and cooking methods today. Friends, be sure to visit Shivani’s other Indian dishes at Veggie Bus on Simple Route!

What is your go-to diverse food?

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