Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt Sauce – Bouranee Baunjan

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This recipe for Bouranee Baunjan  – eggplant with garlic yogurt sauce was on a back-burner for years, until I stumbled across it just the other day. That’s what happens when you don’t save all your recipes in one place.

I have to admit – I didn’t think this dish will taste much different than other eggplant dishes, but I was wrong. This Afghani dish is absolutely scrumptious. The eggplant slices are first baked, then cooked in a piquant tomato sauce and served topped with garlicky yogurt. If I were a vegetarian, this is a dish I’d serve for holidays. It’s that good!

Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt Sauce – Bouranee Baunjan

Making this eggplant dish is a bit involved, but not difficult at all and well worth it. It is especially delicious with Kurdish rice, but you can serve it with regular rice or pita bread to soak up the juices and garlic yogurt sauce. Give it a try, you’ll love it. Ask my husband who generally dislikes eggplant.

In the past years, I learned to love it and as you can see here, often enjoy it as a main dish, side dish and an appetizer.

Ingredients:
Serves 2-3

2 medium Eggplants
1 large ripe Tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 large Onion, sliced thin
½ teaspoon Coriander
½ teaspoon Turmeric
Salt
½ teaspoon black Pepper
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
¼ cup Water
Olive oil

1 cup firm, plain Yogurt (Greek style)
2 cloves Garlic
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh Cilantro, Parsley or Mint, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse eggplants, cut the stems off and peel into strips. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Spread slice on a flat surface or tray and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave for 30 minutes then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

Meanwhile, peel the garlic, crush and place on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Wrap the foil around garlic.

Place eggplant slices on a large (or two medium), greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the garlic pouch on the sheet, between the eggplant slices. Bake the eggplant and garlic for 20-30 minutes or until eggplant is lightly browned. Don’t worry if your thinner slices are dry, they will absorb the sauce later in the process.

In a medium saucepan heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Sauté sliced onions until browned and slightly caramelized, then stir in red pepper flakes, if using. Remove onions from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Place tomatoes in the same pan and cook until they break down, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, water, turmeric, coriander, pepper and salt to taste. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken.

Layer half of eggplant slices in an 8-inch square baking dish or a loaf pan. Top the eggplant with half of the onions and half of the tomato sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cover with aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer, to reduce the excess liquid.

Combine yogurt, mashed garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Top eggplant with yogurt. Sprinkle with cilantro, parsley or mint. Serve with fresh pita bread or Kurdish rice.

Eggplant with Garlic Yogurt Sauce – Bouranee Baunjan

Falling in love with eggplant is easy with this scrumptious Afghani dish served with garlicky yogurt.

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Print Rate

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 medium Eggplants
• 1 large ripe Tomato chopped
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 1 large Onion sliced thin
• ½ teaspoon Coriander
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric
• Salt
• ½ teaspoon black Pepper
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes optional
• ¼ cup Water
• Olive oil
• 1 cup firm plain Yogurt (Greek style)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh Cilantro Parsley or Mint, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Rinse eggplants, cut the stems off and peal into strips. Cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Spread slice on a flat surface or tray and sprinkle generously with salt. Leave for 30 minutes then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, peal the garlic, crush and place on a piece of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Wrap the foil around garlic.
• Place eggplant slices on a large (or two medium), greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the garlic pouch on the sheet, between the eggplant slices. Bake the eggplant and garlic for 20-30 minutes or until eggplant is lightly browned. Don't worry if your thinner slices are dry, they will absorb the sauce later in the process.
• In a medium saucepan heat one tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Sauté sliced onions until browned and slightly caramelized, then stir in red pepper flakes, if using. Remove onions from the pan with a slotted spoon.
• Place tomatoes in the same pan and cook until they break down, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, water, turmeric, coriander, pepper and salt to taste. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken.
• Layer half of eggplant slices in an 8-inch square baking dish or a loaf pan. Top the eggplant with half of the onions and half of the tomato sauce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Cover with aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer, to reduce the excess liquid.
• Combine yogurt, mashed garlic cloves and pinch of salt. Top eggplant with yogurt. Sprinkle with cilantro, parsley or mint. Serve with fresh pita bread or Kurdish rice.

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