Borani Banjan (Afghan-style Eggplant in Yogurt)
Updated September 16, 2024
Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
1 cup full-fat Greek or Indian yogurt
1 garlic clove, grated
Salt
½ to 1 cup vegetable oil
4 Japanese or Indian eggplants (see Tips), or 1 globe eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon Kashmiri or other red chile powder (optional)
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
4 to 6 small mint leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
40 grams carbs; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 570 calories; 31 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 19 grams fiber; 1687 milligrams sodium; 9 grams protein; 24 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons water. Place in the fridge to chill and develop garlicky flavor.
- Step 2
Line a tray or large plate with paper towels. In a large frying pan, heat ⅓ cup oil on high. (The eggplant slices should be submerged about halfway in the oil while frying.) When the oil is heated, about 1 minute, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, and fry 1 to 2 minutes on each side, working in batches to avoid overcrowding and adding oil between batches as necessary. When the eggplant starts to caramelize and turn brown, transfer to the prepared tray or plate. Pat dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove any excess oil and to preserve the eggplant’s crisp texture. Season with salt as desired.
- Step 3
To the same pan, add tomatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons water and chile powder, if using. Cook on high until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4
To serve, spread the yogurt in a single layer in a large shallow dish. Add the eggplant in a single layer on top, and then scatter the tomato over the eggplant (see Tips). Finish with pomegranate seeds and mint.
Indian eggplants tend to have thinner skin, are round in shape and are about 2 inches in diameter. These eggplants have a milder flavor and creamier texture than globe eggplants when cooked.
If multiple layers are preferred (the traditional way), use half of the yogurt, eggplant and tomato for the first layer, and create a second layer with the second half of the elements.
Private Notes
Comments
My favorite kind of food. I make a very similar dish and find that roasting 1 inch pieces of eggplant at 450 degrees ( 20 minutes one side, flip and continue for 10 more minutes) yields delicious results and much simpler. Also, I drizzle with a little pomegranate molasses, a pantry staple.
I roasted the eggplant rather than fry it. It may have been a little less rich than frying but it was delicious. Great range of flavors and textures.
Re the peppers, the spice is not an important part of the dish typically. Mint, Yogurt, and tomato do the work. The most apt spice to substitute would be a mix of paprika and cayenne. Other common spices like jalepeno, chipotle, or chili flakes would taste off. Hope this helps.
I cannot eat fried food so I fix the eggplant in this dish by spraying the sliced pieces with oil then roasting under the broiler until both sides are browned. I then, in a large frying pan with a lid to fit, sautée 2 onions sliced into semi circles and a pinch of chile flakes, cooking gently for 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and add 2 sliced red bell peppers and 4-6 cloves chopped garlic to the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes adding 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon each of ground tumeric and chile powder ( optional) Remove to plate. Place layer of eggplant in pan, top with one half of the onion , then bell pepper then sliced ripe tomatoes, about 4-5 in total, then repeat layers, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon water or 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar, cover and simmer on top of stove for 1/2 hour or until tender. Meanwhile mix 2 cups drained plain yoghurt with 2 cloves crushed garlic, squeeze of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dried mint and large pinch of salt to taste. Spread 1/2 onto a large platter. Lift vegetables carefully from pan and place on yoghurt. Top with remaining yoghurt and drizzle with pan juices. Garnish with chopped mint or cilantro. Serve with lavash or pita bread.
I didn't love this and won't make it again. Frying takes forever; I really disliked flipping each slice individually, and doing multiple batches means a "quick 1-2 minute fry" per side took much more time (it took about 5-6 minutes per side to get that caramelized effect). They were not crispy after frying, either. And I don't like the salty yogurt flavor mixed with the tomato and pomegranate...just overall not a recipe I'd repeat.
This dish is so very good! I halved the recipe and used eggplant and tomatoes from the garden and my husband and I loved it. I made this as written but used pomegranate molasses instead of pomegranate seeds (as suggested by another reviewer) as that's what I had. So fantastic!