Air-fried/shallow pan-fried eggplant discs served with flavorful tomato, onion, chili mixture, and yogurt garlic sauce. A drizzle of spicy garlic oil takes this dish to another level. One of the most famous vegetarian Afghan foods, this dish Afghani Banjan Borani goes well with rice, bread, or millet.
Are you an eggplant lover? If yes, then this post may appeal to you even more. Let me tell you, this Afghani banjan borani is one of the tastiest dishes I have ever tried.
The luscious eggplants, tomatoes, onion, and garlicky yogurt sauce with mint gives a delectable flavor. It is so delicious that you will find ways to make it all the time.
Like all the neighboring countries and their cuisine, Afghani cuisine has a certain Indian touch as well. Looks like both cuisines influence each other. When you check the ingredients and taste the dish, it seems quite familiar.
The familiarity of Afghani cuisine makes it so comforting and banjan borani is extremely popular with desi folks. I find this very close to Bengali Doi baingan. The presentation, dish, and similarity of most of the ingredients are quite surprising.
Why Have I Air Fried the Eggplant Discs?
Banjan borani typically uses shallow pan-fried eggplant but for this dish, I have air-fried the eggplants. If you have cooked eggplant before you must be aware that eggplants are just like sponges and they soak oil like anything.
No one likes to use too much oil nowadays and some people are even oil-free these days.
So for these reasons, I air-fried the eggplant discs and they came out well. I brushed them with a little oil and air-fried them till they looked a little crispy and golden.
Meaty from the inside and just a little crispness on the outside, these eggplant discs are delicious by themselves but along with this garlic yogurt sauce and tomato onion, they taste even more fantastic.
You may be interested in checking these eggplant recipes,
Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce
Baingan Bhaja/ Eggplant Bengali Style
New Recipes
Afghani Banjan Borani
Ingredients
Method
- Coat eggplant discs with turmeric and salt and air fry them in a pre-heated air fryer at 380 f for 6-7 minutes. Your time of air frying depends on the water content of your eggplant. After 5 minutes check once and if needed turn it over. Remove them onto a paper towel lined plate.
- Take a pan and add one tbsp of oil.
- Add sliced onion and garlic and saute for a while. In one or two minutes on medium flame you will notice a caramelization. Add chopped tomato, salt, and turmeric. Use only a little bit of salt.
- Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Tomato will release water and the mixture will become mushy and soft.
- Mix minced garlic with yoghurt and keep it aside.
- Assembling is quite easy.
- In a serving platter spread yoghurt on the bottom.
- Arrange eggplant on top of that. Place onion tomato mixture on top of all the eggplants.
- Take a small pan. Add 1 tbsp of oil to it. When it's hot add chili powder to it.
- Pour it immediately over the eggplant, tomato-onion mixture.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve with rice or roti.
- Enjoy!
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