Bengali 5 Spice Eggplant

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  • Time icon
    Total Time
    40mins
  • Serves icon
    Serves
    6
  • Calories icon
    Calories
    307
based on 1 ratings

In the Bengal region, chefs make their vegetable stew with a mixture of 5 spices, aka Panch Phoran. This is a mixture of roasted and ground spices, found in the Eastern regions of India, particularly Bangladesh. This is a great spice mixture to have on hand, so scale up to make a bunch. Once your spices are toasted and mixed you're in business for future dishes.

Inspired by: http://www.thecolorsofindiancooking.com/2015/09/garden-to-table-bengali-5-spice.html

recipe updated 8 Oct. 2019

Ingredients

  • Cumin seeds icon
    Cumin seeds
    60 g
  • Fennel seeds icon
    Fennel seeds
    30 g
  • Nigella seeds icon
    Nigella seeds
    3 tablespoons
  • Fenugreek icon
    Fenugreek
    2 tablespoons
  • Mustard seeds icon
    Mustard seeds
    45 g
  • Coconut oil icon
    Coconut oil
    2 tablespoons
  • Dried chilies icon
    Dried chilies
    2
  • Curry leaves icon
    Curry leaves
    2 tablespoons
  • Eggplant icon
    Eggplant
    1
  • Butternut pumpkin icon
    Butternut pumpkin
    1
  • Potato icon
    Potato
    1
  • Paprika icon
    Paprika
    ½ teaspoon
  • Salt icon
    Salt
    1 teaspoon
  • Sugar icon
    Sugar
    1 teaspoon
  • Peas icon
    Peas
    120 g
  • Coriander icon
    Coriander
    14 g

Tools

  • kCook icon Wooden spoon
  • kCook icon Skillet pan
  • kCook icon Medium cast iron skillet
  • kCook icon Medium bowl
  • kCook icon Large serving bowl
  • kCook icon Medium cast iron skillet

Step preview

  1. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek and mustard seeds to a clean medium bowl
  2. Mix
  3. Transfer spices to medium cast iron skillet
  4. Roast until fragrant while stirring occasionally - approx 2 min, medium heat
  5. Store in plastic container
  6. Add coconut oil to a clean medium cast iron skillet
  7. Heat - high heat
  8. Add dried chilies to the medium cast iron skillet
  9. Stir - approx 30 sec
  10. Transfer one quarter of spices to medium cast iron skillet
  11. Add curry leaves, eggplant, butternut pumpkin and potato to the medium cast iron skillet
  12. Stir until light golden - approx 10 min
  13. Add paprika, salt and sugar to the medium cast iron skillet
  14. Mix
  15. Add peas to the medium cast iron skillet
  16. Cover
  17. Cook until tender - approx 10 min, low heat
  18. Transfer content of medium cast iron skillet to large serving bowl
  19. Garnish with coriander
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