Khatta meetha baingan | Khatte baingan | Sweet and sour eggplant curry

Khatta meetha baingan is a Hindi name where ‘khatta’ means sour, ‘meetha’ means sweet and ‘baingan’ stands for eggplant or brinjal or Aubergine. It is prepared almost all over India and in all seasons. In India, every state has their own regional flavour and different style of cooking. Khatta meetha baingan recipe is prepared in multiple cuisines like Kashmiri, Hyderabadi, North Indian and many more. But in every cuisine, it tastes amazing and different from each other.

Khatta meetha baingan is a very simple and easy recipe. It gets prepared very quickly without investing much time and effort. In fact, it requires very limited and easily available ingredients to get prepared. This vegan Indian curry could be a great option for lunch box with some rotis or parathas.

Khatta meetha baingan is a healthy and light recipe which is ideal for kids and aged people. I have used minimal spices for the recipe. For kids, you can skip the dry red chillies from the recipe.

I had first tasted this delish in my college hostel. I was served this Sweet and sour eggplant curry with chapatis on one fine evening. I just loved the idea and taste of the dish. Then after going back home for vacations, I had prepared the dish. Everyone loved the preparation and now Khatta meetha baingan recipe is prepared quite often in our house.

Khatta meetha baingan with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. Before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about Brinjal and the recipe.

Benefits of eggplant

How to make Khatta meetha baingan?

To prepare the khatta baingan recipe, I have used the large purple brinjals. First, I have peeled the skin of the brinjal and then cut them in medium cubes. Then I have soaked them in salted water because the brinjals turn brown when they meet air.

For the sour taste of the recipe, I have used tomatoes. I have blended tomatoes with dry red chillies for the recipe.

I have used sugar for the sweetness of the gravy. If you like to skip it in any case, then you can use jaggery too instead of sugar.

Other than these, I have used sliced onions, garlic, ginger and chopped coriander leaves or cilantros for the flavouring of the Khatta meetha baingan.

I have not used any whole spice for the tempering of the dish. I have used little bit of garam masala other than turmeric powder among ground spices to enhance the flavour of the dish.

To make the gravy thicker in consistency, I have mixed cornflour in little water in a separate bowl and pour it in the gravy for simmering.

First, I have cooked the onion, ginger, garlic masala and then added the soaked brinjal cubes and cooked them. After some time, I have added salt, turmeric powder and the tomato paste one by one into the pan and cooked them till tender.

I always prefer the gravy to be of moderate consistency for the Khatta meetha baingan. So, I have not added too much water for the gravy. At the end, I have added cornflour water, chopped coriander leaves, sugar and garam masala powder into the gravy and cooked it.

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes, Deseeded and diced
• 2 Dry Red chillies

• 1 large Eggplant, peeled and medium diced
• 2 medium Onions, thin sliced
• 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon Ginger paste
• 3 tablespoons Coriander leaves or Cilantro, chopped
• ¾ teaspoon Garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Cornflour
• 2 tablespoons of Water, to mix the cornflour
• 2 teaspoons Sugar, quantity may vary according to taste
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking
• ½ cup Water for Gravy

1. First peel off the skin of the Brinjal and cut it into medium pieces.
   

2. Soak them immediately in salted water or else the brinjals will turn brown in colour. Keep it aside.
   

3. Add the tomato chunks into a jar of a grinder.
   

4. Add dry red chillies into the jar and grind them for half minute till smooth. Keep it aside.
   
   

5. Put a pan on flame and let the pan becomes dry.
   

6. Add oil into the pan and wait until the oil is hot.
   

7. Add chopped garlic into the pan and fry them till golden.
   

8. Add sliced onion into the pan and fry them in medium flame for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in between.
   

9. Add ginger paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
   

10. Add the brinjal pieces (Step 2) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for couple of minutes.
    

11. Add salt, turmeric powder and give a nice mix.
    

12. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes until the brinjal gets tender.
    

13. Add tomato paste (Step 4) into the pan and give a nice stir.
    

14. Cook it in medium flame for 2-3 minutes until the masala starts releasing oil.
15. Add water into the pan and give a nice stir.
    

16. Add 1 teaspoon cornflour into a bowl.
    

17. Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix it nicely.
    

18. Add the mixture into the pan.
    

19. Cover the pan and put the flame in high until the gravy simmers.
20. Add sugar, chopped coriander leaves or cilantro, garam masala powder into the pan and mix it nicely.
    

21. Cook it in high flame for few seconds and switch off the flame.
    

22. Cover the pan and put the pan down.

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