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    Home » Recipes » Curries and Stew

    Doi Begun

    March 22, 2023 by Kankana Saxena

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Sliced eggplant pan fried in very little oil and then layered with spiced yogurt followed by a drizzle of tempered hot oil! Doi Begun is a popular Bengali eggplant curry, except I make it a little nontraditional way. Typically, yogurt will be cooked along with the spices and eggplant. This recipe doesn't call for that, which makes it a very quick meal. It's light on the tummy and great on warm days too.

    Doi Begun

    Why you will love this Doi Begun?

    Unlike the traditional way, eggplant is not deep fried in this recipe.

    The dish takes some prep time to let the moisture release from the eggplant by drizzling salt. But apart from that, it will take roughly 15 minutes to bring together.

    It is a great summer dish as it is light on the tummy.

    I didn't grow up eating doi begun that often. Also, I doubt Ma made it that much or at all. I learned to make this dish from my neighbor several years back when we had moved to India for a couple of years.

    My neighbor, who was also my chatty friend over a cup of tea, once prepared it for me. I loved it and instantly called Mom to find out how come we never ate Doi Begun as a kid? As it turns out, my brother was allergic to eggplant, and I never liked the taste of eggplant. Huh! 

    It never fails to surprise me how our taste buds change over a period of time and age.

    Well, I do enjoy eggplant a lot and this version of Doi Begun is a hit in my house. Even my kid loves it. 

    We Bengalies love to add yogurt in our curry. If you enjoy this dish, you will also enjoy Doi Maach or try this super simple Dahi Gobi

    Doi Begun

    Ingredients for Doi Begun:

    (doi meaning yogurt and begun meaning eggplant)

    • Eggplant - Preferably use the large size eggplant as you can slice it thick, and the large eggplants often don't come with a lot of seeds in it.
    • Thick plain yogurt - I like to use thick yogurt, as I love the creamy texture it adds to the dish. If you don't have thick yogurt, just hung it in a cheese cloth or any clean cloth for a while.
    • Spices - Cumin seeds and mustard seeds are the two whole spices used and apart from that there is turmeric powder, cumin powder and chili powder used required.
    • Fresh curry leaves - Fresh curry leaves are used when tempering the oil. It is for flavor only, and if you can't find any, you can discard.

    Finding curry leaves can be a challenge, in that case just replace with fresh cilantro leaves or discard it completely. You can try the dried curry leaves too. It will not affect the taste of the entire dish. 

    Steps to prepare

    Steps to prepare
    1. Slice the eggplant slightly thick. I prefer to use big eggplants as it is easy to slice and also doesn't have a lot of seeds in it.
    2. Layer the sliced eggplant on a cookie wire rack or a colander and drizzle salt in it. Leave aside for 15 minutes. It helps to release the moisture and that way you can fry the eggplant is very less oil.
    Steps to prepare

    3. In a heavy bottom skillet at medium heat, drizzle a little oil. While it heats up, oat dry the excess moisture from the eggplant and drizzle turmeric powder. Fry for a few minutes on each side.

    4. Make the yogurt mixture by whisking the yogurt with cumin powder, chili powder, salt and sugar.

    Steps to prepare

    5. In a heavy bottom pan, add oil to prepare the tempered oil. Once it heats up, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chili powder. Let it sizzle for a few seconds. Be careful as you follow this step, cause the curry leaves will splatter.

    6. Drizzle most of the tempered oil on the whisk yogurt and mix the yogurt. Save the rest of the tempered oil to be added later

    Steps to prepare

    7. In a serving plate, layer some of the spiced yogurt, then layer the fried eggplant and repeat the process.

    8. Finally, add the remaining tempered oil on top.

    I sometime also add a couple green chili in the tempered oil, and it will add a subtle heat to the dish.

    Can you use roast eggplant?

    YES! I however don't deep fry the eggplant. It's just pan fried with very little oil. You can choose to roast the eggplant slices too. 

    KEY POINT

    When it comes to cooking eggplant, one keynote to remember is to massage the eggplant slices with salt and leave it aside for about 30 minutes. This will release moisture and soften the texture, and as a result it will not soak a lot of oil when frying. 

    Doi Begun one of those dishes that you will absolutely love on a sunny day. It's fuss free and so quick to prepare. Allow the fried/roasted eggplant slices to soak up the essence from the spiced yogurt for about 15 minutes. Make sure you use thick Greek yogurt or hung yogurt for the perfect creamy texture.

    Doi Begun

    Serving Doi Begun: 

    Typically, we like it with rice or roti. But I have even served it with quinoa. It will also taste amazing with pita bread. 

    Here are few eggplant recipes you will love

    BEGUN BHAJA

    ROASTED TOMATO AND EGGPLANT PASTA SALAD

    BAIGAN BHARTA

    BEGUN PODA

    ALOO BAIGAN KI SABJI

    ALOO BEGUN JHOL

    Doi Begun

    Doi Begun (Eggplant In Spiced Yogurt)

    Kankana Saxena
    Sliced eggplant pan fried in very little oil and then layered with spiced yogurt followed by a drizzle of tempered hot oil! Doi Begun is a popular Bengali eggplant curry, except I make it little untraditional way. Typically yogurt will be cooked along with the spices and eggplant. This recipe doesn't call for that which makes it a very quick meal. It's light on the tummy and great on warm days too.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    resting time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Bengali Cuisine
    Cuisine Bengali
    Calories 21 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    for spiced yogurt

    • ½ cup Greek yogurt/hung yogurt
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (Roasted and coarsely ground )

    For Tempered Oil

    • 1 tablespoon tablepsoon oil
    • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
    • few fresh curry leaves
    • ¼ teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

    Instructions
     

    • Layer the sliced eggplant in a colander and sprinkle the salt. Give a massage and leave it aside for 15 minutes.
    • After 15 minutes, the eggplant slices should have released moisture and soften. Sprinkle the turmeric and massage it around.
    • Prepare the yogurt sauce by adding the yogurt, salt, sugar and ground cumin. Whisk to mix it all together. Taste for seasoning and add any if needed.
    • Place a skillet in medium heat and drizzle little oil. Layer the eggplant slices and cook for few minutes, then flip and continue cooking. You might need to drizzle little oil in between. Cook the eggplants until mild brown on each side and cooked through.
    • Place a small pan on medium high heat and pour the oil for tempering. Once the oil heats up sprinkle the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, let it sizzle for few seconds. Then scatter the fresh curry leaves and let it sizzle for few seconds.
    • Pour most of the tempered oil on the whisked yogurt and mix it around.
    • In a serving platter, add half the yogurt, then layer the fried eggplant. Then spread more yogurt and remaining eggplant. Drizzle with the remaining tempered oil.
    • Serve it warm or room temperature.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serves 2 to 4Calories: 21kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4655mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword 15 minutes meal, Bengali cusine, easy Indian curry, eggplant, vegetarain dish

    More Curries and Stew

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      Mutton Nihari | Spiced Goat Stew
    • Pudina Aloo
      Pudina Aloo (Potato Mint Curry)
    • Achari Murgh / Achari Chicken
      Achari Murgh
    • Coconut Chicken Curry
      Coconut Chicken Curry

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. kaninika

      April 15, 2016 at 8:06 am

      Wao Di! You have built such a library , must say. Commendable work ! All the very best! Stay tuned. Well, on the recipe its the first one that I tried , Its easy, quick, very tasty! Absolutely loved it ! 😀

      • Kankana Saxena

        April 15, 2016 at 7:35 pm

        Thank you Kaninika 🙂 Am so glad you tried and liked it! It's become our favourite dish this season!

    2. Rakhee@boxofspice

      April 08, 2016 at 7:09 am

      I used to hate pumpkins and spinach and now love them both. It really is wonderful that our tastes change over time. This is a stunning post Kankana. It looks so mouth watering. Wonderful 🙂

    3. Tes

      April 04, 2016 at 8:02 pm

      What a gorgeous recipe! I love eggplants 🙂

    4. Shumaila

      March 30, 2016 at 7:42 am

      I agree, taste buds change and how. I never ate baingan as a kid. My husband though loves baingan ka bharta so I started making it and soon have grown to like the vegetable. This recipe sounds really good and might try it out one of these days. As always the pics are gorgeous.

    5. Sylvie

      March 30, 2016 at 1:47 am

      Sounds wonderful, just my kind of dish!

    6. kids photoshoot

      March 30, 2016 at 12:48 am

      stellar recipe is best recipe.Your shoots also best each position

    7. Roy

      March 29, 2016 at 10:37 am

      Hello Kankana,

      This is like a stellar recipe. I will eat the quinoa somehow. I am still to hook to this grain. But coming back to Doi Begun which was a like a staple at my home. My memories take me back to my mum's kitchen where it was a sin to cook only one recipe. A normal lunch platter will have rice, dal, saag, tarkari, bhajja and a chutney or raita or Doi Begun.Alas I am reduced to cooking only one dish per meal. I think I will definitely give this versions a try too.

      • Kankana Saxena

        March 30, 2016 at 12:42 am

        Thanks Roy 🙂 At my parents it's still a sin to serve just one dish LOL I still don't know how she manages.

    8. aparna somani

      March 29, 2016 at 3:02 am

      i love baingan. Def going to try this dish. Sounds like a good meal.

    9. Lakshmi

      March 28, 2016 at 12:20 pm

      Mouthwatering! I had to run to see if I have any eggplants in the fridge 🙂

    10. Sujatha Arun

      March 28, 2016 at 11:02 am

      I love eggplants and this looks so tempting with that spicy yogurt ! I'm book marking this. Thank you for the wonderful share.

    11. Rosa

      March 28, 2016 at 10:53 am

      A beautiful eggplant dish! Looks wonderful.

      cheers,

      Rosa

    12. Bina

      March 28, 2016 at 10:39 am

      We love eggplant and this looks absolutely delicious, Kankana!

    13. dixya

      March 28, 2016 at 9:47 am

      i have been eating roasted eggplant salad lately, as a matter of fact, its my lunch today. i will definitely keep this version with yogurt bookmarked because it sounds so refreshing!!

    14. angiesrecipes

      March 28, 2016 at 9:06 am

      Simple ingredients, big flavour!

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