Borani Banjan

Method

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1. Sprinkle the aubergine slices with the tablespoon of salt, toss and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

2. Heat about 1 cm of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the slices for 3 minutes per side, until golden and soft. Drain on paper towels.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

3. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and cook the onion for 6 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and salt and simmer for 12 minutes, until thick.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

4. Layer the aubergine slices in a wide pan, pour the tomato sauce over them and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

5. Stir the yoghurt, garlic, mint and salt together.

   Mark done

6. Cool the aubergine to warm, spread the yoghurt over the top and sprinkle with a little more mint. Serve with flatbread.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Salt the aubergine and rinse it. It removes bitterness and cuts the amount of oil it drinks.
• Let the aubergine cool a little before adding the yoghurt. Hot aubergine makes the yoghurt split.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, not cold.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried mint at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Afghan flatbread
• Kabuli pulao
• A green salad

Storage & Reheating

Keep in the fridge up to 3 days. Add fresh yoghurt when serving.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.