Borani Banjan

Rich, savory, spiced, and the perfect addition to any meal. Borani banjan and the tale of Paul the cyborg puffin and Rufus the Raucous Rooster is what you need tonight.

A delicious Afghani dish to it’s core, this this dish is incredibly easy to make and is absolutely delicious! Clearly, I’m partial to bharta however, the first time I had borani banjan in Delhi I knew I was hooked. Let’s just clarify two things: Eggplant is delicious, and bharta is a Punjabi dish and should be prepared in the Punjabi way. The other variations rarely have the smoky flavor and often have too much floaty or lumpy crap in it. So back to: go east, go west, Punjab is best.

I do love Punjab-isms. My FAVORITE of all time being Jatt risky after balti whisky. Pure comedic gold, I tell you. Also, not 100% wrong either. In fact, I’d dare say quite accurate. Ask a certain Mr. , and he would likely agree. But back to this dish, it’s delightfully easy to make, absolutely delicious, and not a looker, so even if you don’t get it exactly right, it will be amazing. The flavors are warm, spicy, and it’s just a wonderful hearty comfort food, if you ask me. Also, I always find that nearly anything eggplant based satiates the best of carnivores.

Now, on to the important things. Paul the cyborg puffin. I know we’ve briefly discussed the love story of Gerard and Susan, but Paul was different. He was a strong and independent puffin, the type to never settle down or share his schematics. But then came along Lola. She was a goddess. 7’2, 260 lbs, flowing crimson locks, and a villainous plan to turn Paul into scrap metal and Rufus into curry. Both men with unyielding devotion could never have prepared for such a woman or such treachery. However, fear not faithful reader, for Jolly Sing Dhillon will save the day. After Lola cruelly stewed Tommy, the rooster, in the prime of his life, Jolly vowed that he would not rest until Lola was stopped from ruining other innocent lives. Never again would Tommy chase the rain, chew on his favorite squeaky toy, or enjoy a fine cigar on a cold winter night. This is a tale of intrigue, love, heartache, and triumph over evil. It’s got it all. A bit like a delicious borani banjan.

No real hiccups or things to worry about in this recipe. It’s all very straight forward. I just suggest not drizzling the yogurt while the food is still boiling hot. Beyond that, I’d suggest serving it alongside reshmi kebab, pulao, and raita. Till the next edition of Paul and Rufus. Make merry.

Ready for more delicious dishes? Try these:

Borani Banjan

Course: Main CoursesCuisine: AfghaniDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• Eggplant:

• 3 large eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch thick

• 4 tbsp oil

• 6 cloves garlic

• 3 green chilis

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 4 medium tomatoes, diced

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tsp chili powder

• Salt, to taste

• 3/4 cup water

• Pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp cilantro

• Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 cup whole milk yogurt, whisked

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• salt, to taste

• pepper, to taste

• 1 tsp dried mint

• Assembly:

• 1 tbsp dried mint

• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Equipment/Specialty Items

• Cumin SeedsCumin Seeds
• Dried MintDried Mint

Directions

• Eggplant:
• Salt the sliced eggplant and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Rinse eggplant and pat dry.
• In large skillet, heat oil.
• Lightly fry eggplant and set aside.
• In the same oil, add in garlic and green chilies, sauté for 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until tomatoes are cooked through and very soft.
• Stir in turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, and water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add cilantro and pepper. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Yogurt Sauce:
• Whisk yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper, and mint together.
• Assembly:
• Place a layer of eggplant, followed by tomato sauce, mint, and cilantro.
• Repeat until all of the eggplant is finished.
• Top dish with remaining tomato sauce and then drizzle with yogurt sauce.
• Serve hot with rice or naan.

Notes

• You can make ahead but make sure to add the yogurt sauce when serving. You can also serve the sauce separately.

Nutrition Facts

• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 372kcal
• Carbohydrates: 53.7g
• Protein: 12g
• Fat: 17.4g
• Saturated Fat: 2.4g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 1mg
• Sodium: 900mg
• Potassium: 1886mg
• Fiber: 18.7g
• Sugar: 18.1g
• Calcium: 325mg
• Iron: 20mg

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