Aloo Baingan is an aubergine (eggplant) and potato curry from India and Pakistan. You can prepare this easy recipe as a mid-week meal. Naturally vegan and gluten-free potato curry.
- Aloo Baingan Ingredients
- How to make Aloo Baingan
- Serving Suggestion
- Storage
- Other Potato Recipes
Aloo baingan, also known as aloo baingan sabzi , aloo baingan masala or aloo baingan ki sabzi is a popular vegetable dish from the Indian subcontinent. Particularly in the regions of North India and Pakistan.
This vegan curry is made with potatoes (aloo) and eggplants (baingan) cooked together in a blend of aromatic spices, onions, tomatoes, and sometimes green peas.
This aloo baingan recipe is often served as a main course alongside sides, such as rice or Indian flatbreads, but it can also be eaten on its own as a hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal.
It is simple recipe that is perfect any night of the week.
Other eggplant curry recipes we love are baingan bharta , baingan masala and Gujarati style ringan bateta nu shaak . Restaurant style Brinjal Bhaji is an easy recipe that is great for a weekend curry night.
Aloo Baingan Ingredients
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Aubergine/eggplant – cut into large pieces
Potatoes – peeled and cut into wedges
Onion, garlic, ginger – you will need finely chopped onion. Either chop or use a food processor.
Green chilies – I have used slit green chilli. To save time, you could also grind the chillies with the onion garlic mixture.
Tomatoes – You can crush fresh tomatoes or use tinned tomatoes/ passata. Alternatively use tomato paste.
Spice powders – you need the four basic Indian spices – red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala. I like to add the garam masala once the dish has finished cooking.
Cumin seeds – cumin seeds are added to hot oil.
Oil – I have used olive oil but you can use other flavourless oil.
Garnish – coriander leaves aka fresh cilantro
Lemon juice – optionally add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to round off the flavours
How to make Aloo Baingan
Prepare your ingredients in advance.
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds. Once they sizzle, add in the chopped onion.
Allow the onion to cook until translucent then add the ginger garlic paste and cook the mixture on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until the raw smell goes.
Tip in the chopped potatoes, mix everything well and cook with the lid on.
When the potatoes are half cooked, add in the eggplant pieces and mix well.
Cook until the potatoes and aubergine are tender but not completely cooked.
Add the green chillies, tomato and spice powders (leave out the garam masala until later).
If you need to add a tbsp of water, do it here to prevent the masala burning. You do not want a lot of moisture in this recipe.
Add in the salt and cook on low heat until the vegetables are tender or around 4-5 minutes.
Finish with garam masala. Garnish with fresh cilantro when serving.
You can also follow the same recipe using the instant pot but I would stick to using sauté function rather than the pressure cook function.
Serving Suggestion
Aloo baingan or Indian style potato eggplant curry can be served with a variety of Indian dishes as a main course.
In Indian cuisine, there are many different bread recipes. I like soft rotlis best but you can also prepare garlic and coriander naans or paratha.
As it is a dry curry, I like to pair it with a side like dal fry and jeera rice .
For salads, an Indian salad like kachumber goes best to add freshness and balance. I have this kachumber with most of my Indian meals.
Raita is a yogurt-based side dish that complements the spiciness of aloo baingan. You can make raita by mixing yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped mint leaves, and salt.
Indian pickles and chutneys are a great way to add some tanginess to your meal. Mango pickle or green chutney (made with cilantro and mint) are popular choices. A stack of fresh homemade poppadoms is great with an Indian recipe.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing aloo baingan as the texture of the eggplant and potato will change upon defrosting.
Other Potato Recipes
Aloo Butter Masala
Bombay Potatoes
Aloo Matar
Dum Aloo Restaurant Style
Aloo Chana
Aloo Shimla Mirch
Other Curry/Stirfry Recipes
Mixed Vegetable Curr y
Zucchini Curry (Indian Courgette Curry)
Chana Saag
Saag Aloo
Matar Paneer
Aloo Methi
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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- YouTube
Aloo Baingan – Eggplant and Potato Curry
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 500 grams eggplant
- 500 grams potatoes
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 big onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 3 green chilies
- ¾ cup tomatoes chopped/crushed/pureed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon salt or per taste
- 4 tablespoon coriander fresh
- ½ cup water if needed
Instructions
- Heat 4 tablespoon oil in a pan and add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds .
- Once cumin seeds turns brown, add 1 big onion , fry the onion until it turns light pink.
- Add 1 teaspoon garlic paste , 1 teaspoon ginger paste and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Then add 500 grams potatoes , lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let the potatoes cook in it’s own steam for 5-7 minutes. (if you want add some water)
- Now, add 500 grams eggplant , mix well and cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetables cook further for 6-8 minutes on low to medium heat, or until 80% cooked.
- Add the 3/4 cup tomatoes and stir well.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder , 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder , 2 tablespoon ground coriander , 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and 1 tablespoon salt
- Mix well everything, Cover the pan with a lid and cook the curry on low heat for another 5-7 minutes. If you want a curry with thick gravy add 1/2 cup water
- Cook the aloo baingan until the potatoes are cooked through totally.
- Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon garam masala , mix well.
- Garnish with chopped 4 tablespoon coriander and serve hot with chapati, naan, paratha or rice.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Aloo Baingan - Eggplant and Potato Curry
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 500 grams eggplant
- 500 grams potatoes
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 big onion peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 3 green chilies
- ¾ cup tomatoes chopped/crushed/pureed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon salt or per taste
- 4 tablespoon coriander fresh
- ½ cup water if needed
Instructions
- Heat 4 tablespoon oil in a pan and add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds .
- Once cumin seeds turns brown, add 1 big onion , fry the onion until it turns light pink.
- Add 1 teaspoon garlic paste , 1 teaspoon ginger paste and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Then add 500 grams potatoes , lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let the potatoes cook in it’s own steam for 5-7 minutes. (if you want add some water)
- Now, add 500 grams eggplant , mix well and cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetables cook further for 6-8 minutes on low to medium heat, or until 80% cooked.
- Add the 3/4 cup tomatoes and stir well.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder , 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder , 2 tablespoon ground coriander , 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and 1 tablespoon salt
- Mix well everything, Cover the pan with a lid and cook the curry on low heat for another 5-7 minutes. If you want a curry with thick gravy add 1/2 cup water
- Cook the aloo baingan until the potatoes are cooked through totally.
- Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon garam masala , mix well.
- Garnish with chopped 4 tablespoon coriander and serve hot with chapati, naan, paratha or rice.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
For the crispiest smashed potatoes without having to boil potatoes first, look no further than my easy air fryer version. They’re flavoured with garlic and herbs and cooked to golden-brown perfection! So good with my sour cream and chive dip !
In this air fryer version, the whole cooking process happens in the air fryer – from cooking the potato to making them crispy. No need to worry about extra washing up and the potato cooks to perfection! They’re fantastically crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.
Ingredients
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Potatoes – you need to use baby potatoes for this recipe, aka mini potatoes or new potatoes.
You would also be able to get away with small potatoes that you might find in an all-rounders bag as well.
Oil – you can use a cooking oil spray or use any flavourless oil and brush it on with a pastry brush. Avoid using extra virgin olive oil which cannot withstand high heat.
Flavourings:
Garlic powder – you can use garlic powder or garlic granules. If you are not a fan of garlic, you can leave it out
Herbs – you can use whichever dried herb you have to hand. Examples include dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives Use one or your favourite combination.
Salt and black pepper – to taste
Optional – add parmesan cheese to make garlic parmesan smashed potatoes
Alternative seasoning suggestions:
air fryer bombay/indian potatoes style with dry mango powder, red chilli flakes and black pepper
mexican cheesy potatoes in air fryer style with taco seasoning
italian seasoning
ranch seasoning
How to make smashed potatoes in air fryer
Wash and pat dry the potatoes. Do not peel the potatoes.
Preheat your air fryer to 200C or 400F.
Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray or brush on oil
Air fry the potatoes at 200C for 12 -15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Using the back of a bowl or cup, smash the potatoes until they flatten. Do not press too hard or else the potato will fall apart.
In a small bowl, mix together oil with the garlic powder, herbs and seasoning.
Brush this onto the smashed potatoes. Note that I add this during the second air fry as the seasoning can burn if added too early.
Air fry at the same temperature for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden-brown all over.
Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion
Potatoes will go with almost anything!
They work great as finger food with a dip like sour cream and chive dip, yogurt garlic sauce or Mango Chutney . Tamarind sauce is an interesting alternative to brown sauce.
This homemade Marinara sauce is one of my favourites.
You can also serve them as a side for many dishes such as Tawa Burger or Sundried Tomato Chickpea Cakes
Serve them at BBQs with grills, burgers and more!
I use smashed potatoes for my smashed potato chaat recipe.
Storage
Smashed potatoes are best eaten immediately after cooking to enjoy them whilst they are crispy.
You can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat again the air fryer for 2-3 minutes before consuming.
Do not leave potatoes out for long periods of time as they can spoil.
Freezing
Once smashed potatoes are totally cooled down, place them on the baking sheet in one layer. Pop the tray in the freezer. When they are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and put it in freezer bags.
Keep in the freezer up to 6 weeks, and re heat from frozen in the air fryer until cooked through.
Other Air Fryer Recipes
Air fryer onion bhajis
Sliced potatoes in air fryer
Air fryer pasta bake
Breaded mushrooms in air fryer
Air fryer donut holes
Crispy Air fryer Cauliflower
More Potato Recipes
Bombay potatoes
Instant pot garlic baby potatoes
Potato and eggplant curry
Instant pot dum aloo
Saag aloo (spinach and potato)
Potato Tart
Air fryer diced potatoes
Parmentier Potatoes
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 glass or bowl
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram baby potatoes
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- First wash and pat dry the 1 kilogram baby potatoes . Do not peel the potatoes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 200C or 400F.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Spray or brush on 3 tablespoon oil . (use 1 teaspoon)
- Air fry the potatoes at 200C for 12 -15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Using the back of a bowl or cup, smash the potatoes until they flatten. Do not press too hard or else the potato will fall apart.
- In a small bowl, mix together oil with the 1 tablespoon garlic powder , 1 tablespoon dried herbs 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Brush this onto the smashed potatoes. Note that I add this during the second air fry as the seasoning can burn if added too early.
- Air fry at the same temperature for 5 minutes or until crispy and golden-brown all over.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
