Last week, I hosted a lunch and, as always, made this recipe as the vegetarian option on the menu. Among the guests was a friend’s mother visiting from Pakistan. When she saw her daughter filling her plate with these baingans, she looked genuinely surprised. The conversation (in Urdu) went something like this:

Mother: tum baingan kha rai ho? (You’re eating baingan?)
Friend: ji (Yes)
Mother: Tum to ghar pe nhi khati thein… (You never used to eat those back home!)
Friend: Q k ap aisy nhi banati thein. (because, you never made them like this) 😀

Not just them, everyone loved the Borani Banjan and asked for the recipe. Honestly, this has been happening at almost every dawat lately, and I don’t know why I’ve been sleeping on sharing it!
Believe it or not, I actually filmed this recipe almost over a year ago, but it somehow slipped into my archives and never made it out. This time, though, I gave myself a deadline, and finally, here we are!
Dair aye, durust aye! (Better late than never) 😀

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About Borani Banjan: (also spelled Bourani Banjan or Buranī Banjān) is a traditional Afghan dish made with layers of fried eggplant (aubergine), tomato sauce, and a garlic yogurt topping. It’s a beloved vegetarian dish that’s rich, flavorful, and beautifully balanced, the silky texture of eggplant, tangy tomato base, and cool, garlicky yogurt make it both comforting and refreshing.

Rating:   5 out of 5

Cuisine: Afghan

Course:  Main

Good for:	3-4 ppl	Ease Level:	5 out of 5
Prep Time + Fry Time:	10 mins + 10 mins	Quickness:	4 out of 5
Cooking Time:	15 mins	Taste Level:	5 out of 5

 Above ratings are out of 5, with 5 being the ‘most’.

GET:

Frying Pan/Pot
Cooking Spoon
Tong
Knife
Cutting Board

SET:

Eggplants 2 long (cut into chips)
Oil 100ml (half cup) + for frying
Garlic (crushed and minced) 1tsp
Tomatoes 3 medium (sliced or chopped)
Onion 1 (cut in rings)
Green chilies 2-3 (sliced)
Salt 1 tsp
Chili flakes 1 tsp
Chili Powder 1/2tsp
Cumin Powder 1tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper (crushed) 1/2 tsp
Cardamoms 2-3
Coriander leaves (chopped) for garnishing – optional

Yoghurt Sauce:

Yoghurt 250gms
Salt 1/4 tsp
Garlic (crushed and minced) 1 tsp
Water (as required)

GO:

First of all, deep fry the eggplant chips and set them aside.
Heat Oil in the same pan, add garlic and saute them.
Now add the tomatoes and green chilies mix.
Mix in all the remaining ingredients (except onions) – salt, chili flakes, chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric, black pepper, cardamoms.
Cover and cook till masala forms and oil comes on top.
Now layer the onion rings over masala followed by fried eggplant (baingan) chips.
Cover and let them cook on low heat for 10 mins.
For Yoghurt sauce, mix in all the ingredients and set aside.
When serving, start with layering the base with yoghurt sauce followed the eggplant masala.
Garnish it with some chili flakes, coriander leaves and enjoy with naan or roti.

Here’s a quick video to help you understand it a bit more:

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MY TWO CENTS:

• Adjust the spices to suit your taste buds.
• For low-fat and healthier option, you can air-fry the eggplant chips.
• You can use canned tomatoes too but personally i feel fresh ingredients always elevate the overall dish.
• You can prepare the masala and yoghurt separately a day before dawat, just warm it up and do the layering before serving.

Hope you’ll enjoy trying it out.
I’d love to get your feedback. Feel free to drop a comment below about your experience.

Happy Cooking!