Afghan Roasted Eggplant (Borani Banjan)

This Afghan eggplant dish, borani banjan, is a genius combination of roasted eggplant slices layered with tomato gravy and caramelized onions and topped with thick garlic-yogurt sauce. A must-try dish for those who love spice and flavor!

It's best to serve this easy and exquisite eggplant borani recipe with bread for dipping or Persian tahdig rice for an aromatic and satisfying vegetarian meal.

Eggplant borani is traditionally prepared from fried vegetables; roasted eggplant keeps the calories low, but you can also grill it if preferred!

What is Borani?

Generally, borani is a type of salad from Iranian cuisine, served as a cold starter; in Turkish cuisine, spinach borani is a popular dip.

We prefer this warm and cozy mezze of roasted eggplant from Afghanistan and usually pair it with another type of Afghan borani, this sweet and savory pumpkin bowrani appetizer.

Borani Banjan Variations

Several Middle Eastern countries have their version of this dish. You can also find this recipe spelled or transliterated as Bouranee Baunjan, Burani, or Bourani Banjan.

Typically, this dish is made by topping the peeled and thickly sliced fried eggplant with tomato sauce, caramelized onions, and yogurt-garlic sauce. Here are some other variations I found:

• You can cut the eggplant into cubes, fry them, and stew them together with tomatoes in a clay pot for a stew-like consistency (or cook in an instant pot to speed up the process).
• Puree the grilled vegetables into a creamy dip.
• Add green bell pepper and green chili pepper to the tomato gravy.
• You can layer the vegetables into a loaf pan and bake them as a casserole.

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

• Eggplants (aubergine) - any type will do, although dark purple (also called black or globe eggplant) is typically used. Pick medium size, firm fruit because it will have less seeds and more flesh.
• Tomatoes - one large, meaty tomato or 2-3 smaller ones. For thicker tomato gravy, use more tomatoes.
• Olive oil (not pictured) - substitute with avocado, grapeseed oil, vegetable, or canola.

• Yogurt - Greek-style thick yogurt is our preference, but you can use what's available.
• Garlic - Use as much garlic as you can tolerate.
• Cilantro - Replace with fresh mint or parsley.

🔪 Instructions

The full (printable) recipe and ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe box below.

Step 1 - Prep the Vegetables

1. Roast eggplant slices and garlic wrapped in foil with oil until the eggplant is roasted and lightly browned.
2. Meanwhile, sauté sliced onions until browned and slightly caramelized; remove onions from the pan with a slotted spoon.
3. In the same pan, cook chopped tomatoes until they break down. Add tomato paste, water, turmeric, coriander, pepper, and salt to taste. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat until it begins to thicken.
4. Combine yogurt, mashed roasted garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt; set aside.

Step 2 - Assemble Borani Banjan

1. Layer half of the roasted eggplant slices in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or baking dish.
2. Top with half the tomato gravy.
3. Add half the caramelized onions; repeat with the remaining ingredients.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and roast in the oven. Uncover and bake to reduce the excess liquid. Serve with garlicky yogurt sauce.

• Serving size: This recipe will serve 2 people as a side and 4 as an appetizer. Double or triple the recipe if serving more people.
• Instead of salting the raw eggplants and letting them "sweat" to remove bitterness, you can soak them in salted water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• Add some dried mint to the finished dish in addition to cilantro.
• This dish is best served warm, but keep the yogurt sauce chilled.
• For a vegan version, use plant-based yogurt.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• Lamb-Stuffed Eggplants
• Eggplant Pasticcio
• Eggplant Caponata

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in November 2015 and updated in August 2022 with new photos and recipe tips.