Comments on: Smoked eggplant (Vaygana bajji)

By: Reesha

Reesha — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:34:08 +0000

Shilpa, my mum has always made this dish. Roasting gives the best smoky flavour however I place a large brinjal in a pressure cooker with a little water and it comes out meltingly soft after ten minutes, I add a dollop of butter, roasted falked dry red chilli, dhania (cilantro), finely chopped onion and sprinkling of salt…divine, just like mum’s. Now its fasting time and I crave this dish. For potao choka, I cube potatoes, cook in microwave for five minutes, remove to stove, add water, when potatoes are very soft, I add a little milk, then mash, I add the same flavourings as in brinjal choka, the addition of milk to this dish gives it a superior taste. mY AFMILY’S BEEN IN SA since 1860 and these recipes have not bee forgotten.

By: Pritee

Pritee — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:28:47 +0000

Hi Shilpa,

Your recipes are great. I tried walnut and dates eggless cake recipe and it turned out to be ausum. I prepared that cake thrice in a weeks time:-)
With this recipe why should we put the roasted pulp of eggplant in water for sometime?

Best wishes.
Pritee

Shilpa: It removes any bitterness(some eggplants have bitter taste).

By: Savita

Savita — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:19:55 +0000

Dear Shazeeda,
Just read your comment.
” Baigan choka” is the word used in Bihar. I grew up in that region and that’s the word we used it. My friends in Guyana tell me that there are lot of similarities.

Thanks Shilpa for all your hard work.
Savita

By: Swapna

Swapna — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:52:54 +0000

Hi Shipla,

I make this dish quite often, but after smoking and peeling the brijal. In a separate pan I do seasoning with oil, mustard seeds, pinch of hing, curry leaves, then i add 1 finely chopped onion, add littlr turmeric powder and 1 tsp on chilli powder , I then add this mashed brijal in it cook for 5-10 mins and top it with coriander leaves, gives a good taste

By: Vastevu

Vastevu — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:16:10 +0000

Your Bajji recipe is great and I prefer this bajji better than Punjabi Bharta you get in mostly in US restaurants. Some suggestions based on my experience as Kankani taste lover from childhood (my mother spoiled me!). Instead of grilling vayngan, try first barbeque on outdoor charcoal or next gas grill or third recourse can be broiling in the under the counter stove. Also, adding onions is common but it gives raw onion taste; so I tried saute slightly the onion and it’s great. A small piece of chopped ginger makes more tasty.
I tried your Pathrade recipe today, and it is great. Only thing, I use soaked moong instead of toor daal as it depends which part of S.K. your parents have come from. My mother has always used moong or moong daal with skin.
Your recipe site is a Konkani treasure, and thanks for the time you are spending. Do not worry about others who criticise for photos, atleast they can take some efforts and help you in this matter.

By: Shad

Shad — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 02:08:42 +0000

I just wanted to comment on the word “bajji” because I am from Trinidad and it is what we call “spinage” there the Hindi/Bojpuri. But since this baigan recipe has no spinage, I don’t think that is it… hahaha. But further more nice recipe!

By: Pratibha

Pratibha — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:07:38 +0000

We also make this and my grandmother makes this the best. Raw onion enhances the taste. If you give mustard seeds and hing oggarane this dish will taste heavenly.

By: Chetna

Chetna — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:01:14 +0000

I oil the vaingan and wrap it in aluminum foil and then bake it in the oven… the word “bajji” referes to mashing everything… My mon actually makes it the same way you have mentioned. Howevern she does add finely chopped onions and dhaniya to it and then tempers it with mustard-curryleaf-red chilles..I love this bajji or bharit more than the Punjabi style..

By: Shilpa

Shilpa — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 19:45:09 +0000

Vidya, whole eggplant should go in one shot, if you cut it, the water from the eggplant falls out. Also, it depends how much time take to smoke it. So just Change the side on tava every 5mins or so. Just observe, if the skin has dried on the side and there are few cracks on it, that side is done. Similar way you can judge on all sides. Hope this helps..

By: VIdya

VIdya — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 19:17:52 +0000

HI Shilpa, sounds like a very easy way of making bajji..I absolutely loved it..I have been trying to cover the eggplant with foil and roast it..but no success so far, as I dunno how long for a side and in all…but I guess the same is gonna confuse me here, would you mind telling me how long and also if its a long would cutting them in halves help or the whole should be at one go..thanks