The only eggplant salna you need with mutton biriyani

Just as I promised, here’s a brief write-up for the perfect side to go with biriyani (mutton or otherwise). I’ll admit to having searched for several different types of eggplant dishes to go with the star of the feast. I’ll also admit I’ve tried several of these versions of eggplant gravies. This one I’m about to share with you is the only one (In my humble opinion) that you’ll need to create that authentic South Indian Biriyani Experience (SIBE). I should probably trademark that phrase! Anyway, not to take away the spotlight from the star of this blog post, the eggplant BUT the perfect marriage of main and side dishes constitutes to an ideal SIBE. Although the biriyani can stand on its own and pull it weight, with the right accompaniments, the experience can be knocked out of the park. What’s the SIBE you ask? Well I’ll explain but to keep to my original promise to not belabor the reader into pages of explanations and history, I’ll share the recipe first and if you’re still hanging in there, at the end, I’ll lay out what the SIBE really is.

Main Ingredients:

– Eggplant – Small, purple: 6 whole

– Black Pepper Powder: 3 teaspoons

– Turmeric: 1 teaspoon

– Red Chilli (Cayenne) Powder: 1 teaspoon

– Mustard Seeds: 1 teaspoon

– Cumin Seeds: 1 teaspoon

– Fenugreek Seeds: 1/4 teaspoon

– Asafoetida: 1 pinch

– Curry Leaves: 6-7 leaves

– Tamarind Paste: 1/2 tablespoon

– Rice Vinegar: 1/2 tablespoon

– Jaggery: 1 teaspoon

– Cilantro: A handful of leaves, washed and chopped

– Groundnut/Peanut Oil: 2 tablespoons

– Salt: To taste

Optional Items:

– Tomato: 1 small

– Shredded Coconut: 1/4 cup

– Peanut paste/peanut butter: 1 tablespoon

Preparation:

To begin, wash and quarter the eggplant into wedges. I remove the stalk. If you prefer to leave them in, just score the eggplants at the bottom to create wedges that are still held together by the stalk at the top.

In a pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil. Once heated, add the sliced eggplant. Add a teaspoon of the black pepper powder and some salt. Sauté on medium – high heat for 5 minutes. The eggplant should develop a nice char. Then remove from the pan and set aside. This step can also be done in the oven. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet coated with some oil, black pepper and salt. Broil on high for a few minutes, rotate the eggplants every few minutes to allow all sides to char evenly. Remove and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove top. Add another tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds. When the mustard crackles and splutters, add the asafetida and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds. Drop in the charred eggplant. Sauté for two more minutes.

At this point, add in the turmeric, chili powder and some more salt. Sauté until the raw smell of spices is gone. Top off with a cup of water, cover and let the eggplant simmer for 5 minutes. At the end of this time, using your spatula/ladle, squash the eggplants to make a rough paste (some chunks and some paste). This step is totally optional but a signature move (IMHO).

Once a thick sauce consistency is achieved, add in the jaggery, vinegar and tamarind paste.

Check seasoning. Add salt/pepper if needed.

This is the point where I diverge from the ‘traditional’ eggplant recipes each time. Depending on the day and mood, I would add all, some or none of the ‘Optional’ items in the ingredients list above. It is totally up to you as the chef to decide what you want to do here. The variations are all equally tasty so no wrong moves here.

If you do decide to add the optional items, sauté for 3 minutes longer.

Finally, top with the chopped cilantro and serve! (Preferably with mutton biriyani but this dish goes with plain white rice, chapathis, parathas, idli, dosa… you get the idea).

History/Background and Other Explanations (Optional Content for the curious and patient reader):

Ok now we get to the part where I dedicate the dish to an ancestor or mentor and go back 10 generations for the history. But in all honesty, there really isn’t such a background for this dish. Like I said at the beginning of my blog post, over the years I’ve searched for and tried out multiple eggplant recipes. There were some aspects of each recipe that I liked and others that I didn’t. The family’s feedback also factored in. This recipe seemed to get the closest to the authentic SIBE I’ve mentioned a few times already. You will notice that there are traces of the ever famous bhaingan bhartha and the bhagara bhaingan and even some traces of the puzhikulambu (Save for the lack of coriander powder). And this is probably intentional and what makes this a delicious complement to a lot of main dishes.

But what is the South Indian Biriyani Experience 🙂 That sounds as elaborate as it is. To set the stage, we obviously need a south indian biriyani to play the main character. You can find my version here! Supporting roles are played by sides (some mandatory and some optional). In this case, the eggplant holds a mandatory role. So does the yoghurt raitha. Boiled eggs too..

The best way to explain this is by referencing a popular animated film. Ratatouille. If you’ve watched it, you’ll know exactly which scene I’m about to talk about. For those that haven’t, without spoiling too much of the fun, there is one scene where a simple spoonful of the Ratatouille instantaneously transports the consumer back to their childhood. It smells, tastes and feels like a favorite, memorable past. Simpler, joyous times when everything was perfect (or so it always seems with nostalgia!).

It reminds me of some of the best, celebratory memories of my childhood. When mom and dad would cook up a feast. When family would gather to celebrate something (a festival, a milestone event, a birthday or just hosting long-awaited family in town). It brings back the sound of laughter, the light-hearted conversation, the delicious aromas that permeate every nook and cranny of our very compact apartment, the camaraderie among family and friends and the feeling of happiness and content. Here’s a picture from one of those events three decades ago!

Hope you all give this recipe a try and experiment with the ultimate biriyani experience. And hey it may not be biriyani for you. This applies to any comfort food that brings the same joy and fulfillment this dish does to me. Comment below and let me know!