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Begun Basanti (Eggplant Cooked in Mustard and Yogurt)

April 6, 2016 By Maumita Paul 2 Comments

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Begun BasantiPin

Making mustard paste at home was an elaborate ritual. Grandma, an accomplished cook with an obsessive penchant for perfection, would personally supervise the proceedings.

Didi, Grandma’s shadow in the kitchen, had been doing this chore for as long as my memory goes, yet Grandma savoured superintending every step.

And especially this morning when she wanted mustard paste for her favorite begun basanti.

Did you add both yellow and black mustard seeds ? Grandma asks Didi.
Didi nods in approval.
Was the mustard soaked in warm water for long enough ?
And, did you remember to add the green chillies, the ones I had set aside for the mustard ?
Didi maintains her reticence, she loves Grandma and her fuss, she even knows what query Grandma would have next.
And a pinch of turmeric ? I hate my mustard paste to look anaemic.
What about a couple of grains of rice ? The last thing you would want is your mustard paste to be bitter and spoil the whole dish.
Didi smiles, the questions, even the sequence, haven’t altered even a tiny bit in the last decade.

Enter the ancient sheel, the Grand Old Dame of the kitchen, pampered silly, a flat grinding stone that Grandma proudly claims has been in the household even before she came in to the family as a bride. Every so many months, a man in a battered bicycle carrying a clumsy satchel comes over to etch a fresh set of inscriptions on the sheel, usually disciplined rows of dots, but a couple of times, when I tiptoed to the kitchen later in the evening to have a closer look at the refurbished sheel, I did spot fishes, with listless stone eyes and adeptly engraved scales. And once a proud peacock as well.

Begun BasantiPin

The nora, the inseparable sidekick of the sheel, a stone rolling pin of sorts, is deadly, it is he who moves up and down the sheel, bludgeoning unwitting subjects to an unrecognisable pulp.

Didi gives the sheel a wash, places the mustard near about the center, draws the nora to the end nearer to her and begins her deadly demolition drive. Up and down. Up and down. She pummels the distraught mustard. The vanquished mustard starts breaking down, the chillies have already been battered. Didi continues with ever more disdainful ferocity, splashing some water occasionally, dragging the nora to the further end of the sheel and dragging it back with an even more monstrous vengeance. Before long the yellow and black mustard armies lie conquered, reduced to a gorgeous yellow paste. With flecks of green. (Memories of the chillies, I chuckle)

Didi looks up at Grandma, she stoops down to have a patient closer look, a benign smile of satisfaction gradually grows on her face, Didi knows she has passed her test.

Grandma moves on to her begun basanti.

As I blitz my mustard this morning in an electric blender, in preparation of begun basanti, another of Grandmas delectable recipes, I can’t help but imagine a disapproving frown on her face from the heavens above 🙂

Begun BasantiPin

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Begun BasantiPin

Begun Basanti (Eggplant cooked in mustard and yogurt)

Begun Basanti. Eggplants cooked in yoghurt. Spiked with mustard and green chillies. Yet another Bengali classic. From Grandmas kitchen
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bengali

Ingredients
  

  • 3 brinjals medium sized
  • 1/2 cup yogurt whipped
  • 2 tbsps white mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp nigella or kalonji seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 clove garlic (optional)
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 5 green chillies
  • 1 tsp sugar .
  • 2 tbsps mustard oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak the yellow and black mustard in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain the mustard. Make a smooth paste of the mustard with 3 green chillies, a pinch of turmeric powder and a couple of grains of rice. (If you choose, you can as well add one or two garlic cloves while making the mustard paste.)
  • Cut each eggplant lengthwise into 4 pieces. Smear with a little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry the eggplant till golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a kitchen towel to soak any excess oil.
  • In the same oil, add kalonji and slit green chilies, allow them to splutter. Add the ginger paste and saute for a minute. Now lower the flame and add the mustard paste, whipped yogurt, the remaining turmeric powder, salt and sugar, give it a hearty stir and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.
  • Gently add in the fried eggplant and half a cup of warm water. Cover and cook for a further 5-7 minutes. The gravy should be of a medium consistency, neither too thick nor too thin.
  • Serve hot with rice.

Notes

 
 

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Filed Under: Bengali Recipes, Chhana, Paneer and Vegetables Tagged With: Begun, Begun Basanti, Bengali Food Blog, Bengali Food Photography, Bengali Recipes, Brinjal, Eggplant, Food Photography, Indian Food Photography, Indian Recipes, No Onion No Garlic, Traditional Bengali Recipes, Traditional Recipes From Grandmas Kitchen, Vegetarian

Previous Post: « Lau Phulkopir Tarkari (Bottlegourd and Cauliflower in Milk)
Next Post: Basanti Pulao (Yellow Pulao, Bengali style) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pathik

    July 8, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I think Begun Bahaar is nothing but just another name of this dish! I’ll try this at home and will let you know 😀

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      July 10, 2019 at 2:45 pm

      Thanks Pathik :). Do let me know how it turned out!!

      Reply

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Hello!! I am Maumita and welcome to Experiences of a Gastronomad.
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Maumita Paul
Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to my heart. 

One of those days when I miss Grandma dearly and yearn to return to childhood and relish all the delectable pithe puli she would make !!! 
Happy Sankranti everyone !!!

On the plate 
Khejur Gurer Patishapta, Doodhpuli, Teler Pitha, Nolen Gurer Payesh and Soru Chakuli.
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
New blog post ❤️ And every year, around Sankr New blog post ❤️

And every year, around Sankranthi, the chitoi pithe moulds make a magical re-appearance from the hidden vaults of the windowless sunlight-starved and perennially musty and damp bhnaarar ghor (pantry), illuminated by a lone naked incandescent bulb, before being dusted, scrubbed, soaked, dried and then used in vehement anger for the Sankranti festivities, only to disappear once the euphoria of the harvest festival subsides.
A use and throw culture has still not invaded our lives and the fact that this rather inexpensive non-descript humble artifact is used on just a couple of occasions around Sankranti every year makes not an iota of difference to the magnanimous love and care it receives.
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To read more and try this recipe of Doodh Chitoi , direct link is there in bio. 
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen i Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen is in manic frenzy this morning steaming some stunning Bhapa Pitha. 

I have always preferred freshly ground rice flour to store-bought ones. And my hand-free 1400w hamiltonbeach JMG ensured the rice was ground to fine flour, just as I wanted it, in a blink .
(Also do check the coarse, medium and fine grinding options available which gives us such luxury of choice -  I opted for the fine option for the rice flour)

And  here’s my recipe for the quintessential Bengali Bhapa Pitha / Assamese Keteli Pitha. 
Soak the rice for 2 hours, drain from water. 
Allow the rice to dry over a newspaper or muslin cloth to drain any excess water. 
Use your Hamiltonbeach JMG to blitz the rice to a fine powder.
Transfer the rice flour to a bowl, add a pinch of salt, mix well.
Splash a little water to the rice flour, start mixing with your hand. The texture of the dough should be crumbly and just damp enough. Splash water in small increments, we don’t want a wet batter here.
Sieve the moist flour .
Take a kettle, fill it half with water and bring to a boil.
Wrap the lid of the kettle with a damp muslin cloth.
Spread a layer of the rice flour uniformly over the cloth.
Add 1 tsp of freshly grated coconut on the rice flour, followed by 1 tsp of chopped jaggery And finish it with another layer of rice flour. Press gently, take care to not press it too hard.
Wrap with another piece of moist muslin, put the lid back on over the boiling water.
Steam for 10-12 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid from the kettle. 
Gently remove the outer muslin cloth. Use a sharp knife along the edges of the lid to un-mould the pitha..
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#BigBoxOfLove

#SayToHelloPerfection #ProResultsAtHome #HamiltonBeachIndia #CookLikeAPro #fbciofficial

@hamiltonbeachindia, @fbciofficial @grainandgrowth .
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #glutenfree #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #sankranti
The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is s The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is sheer magic – Pillowy rice flour parcels with a tiny morsel of patali hidden in the center. Stewed in milk perfumed with even more patali gur.
Have a bite, Grandma coaxes.
And the molten patali bursts out of the shackles of the rice flour cocoon.
The fragrance of patali and the perfume of rice leave my palate enthralled.
I take another bite.
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If you want to try this , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced han Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced hands effortlessly remove the pithe from the oil and immerse them in the jaggery syrup, but even before Maa can warn me, I have snatched one and bitten into the gokul pithe.
My tongue is singed.
And for that odd moment, I am all numb.
Minutes, that feel like days, pass.
And then the taste sinks in, sublime, a mellifluous symphony of grated coconut and jaggery.
This is food heaven !!!
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Natorer Luchir Payesh!! A sandwich, if I can use t Natorer Luchir Payesh!!
A sandwich, if I can use the liberty of an analogy, of two luchis with a divine gurer kanchagolla filling in between. Fried to a gorgeous golden. And dipped into a notun gur perfumed payesh just before serving.
You do not want it soggy, Grandma would religiously remind Maa every time, that would ruin the fun of the dish.
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love for rice. Not just rice, any new harvest. Any fresh produce of the soil. Her soil. As she would proudly assert.
Wasting rice in our growing-up years was never an option. Not even a single grain. This is the labour of love. She would remind Dada and me whenever we fussed about food. This is the culmination of months of back-breaking labour. Respect the grain. Respect the farmer.

Cut to the present. My chire has just arrived. Ordered online and delivered at the doorstep by a logistics company. I am blissfully ignorant of what rice went in to prepare this chire. And the farmer shall remain an unacquainted stranger to me. As would his family who possibly helped as well.
Food has reduced, I ruminate, to being impersonal, hasnt it, the consumer and the producer separated by more degrees than my mind can decipher. The price I guess for the comforts of modern life.
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To read more and  try chirer doodpuli , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to sna Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to snatches of emotional upheavals. Reminiscing more and more of her home in sylvan Sylhet.
Chachi was our neighbour. Born in Bikrampur near Dhaka. Married to a trader family in Sylhet. She brought with her to Sylhet the delectable Bibikhana Pitha from her home town. And every year she would lovingly welcome winter, the new harvest, the fragrant rice and the notun gur with her Bibikhana Pitha.
So here it is, the incredibly delicious Bibikhana Pitha. From Bikrampur in Bangladesh. 
Bliss !!! 
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If you want to try this recipe , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #foodie #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #glutenfree #creatingmemories
Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. A riot on the pala Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. 
A riot on the palate. A throwback to all those weekends in Assam where koi was available aplenty during winters.
Enjoy before the orange season is over !!!

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Recipe link is there in bio.
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 #food52 #tv_foodlovers #calcuttacacophony #capturethemoment #foodstagram #foodstyling #homemade #bengalilunch @hautescuisines #indianfoodbloggers #foodpornography #photooftheday #gastronomad_m #kolkatabuzz @india_undiscovered #fish #theuncommonbox #foodtalkindia #kolkatadiaries #acreativevisual #kolkatafoodsutra #storiesofkolkata #glutenfree #official_photography_hub #indianshutterbugs #styleonmytable #bengalifood  @onlyinbengal @bengal_undiscovered #foodphotography #foodart #homemade #winter #orange

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