Borani Banjan Recipe (Afghan Eggplant Dish with Garlic Yogurt Sauce)

Borani Banjan Recipe (Afghan Eggplant Dish with Garlic Yogurt Sauce)

This richly spiced Afghan eggplant dish (Borani Banjan) features savory flavor and velvety texture. It's traditionally served with creamy, tangy, garlicky yogurt sauce on top and enjoyed with warm bread or rice.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Afghan

Keyword Afghan Eggplant, Borani Banjan, Borani Banjan Recipe, Bourani Banjan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Other Time: 20

Servings servings

Calories 87kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

Eggplant:

1 1/2 pounds eggplant chopped (up to 2 pounds of eggplant works in this recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 large onion chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
6 large cloves garlic crushed
1 jalapeño de-seeded and minced
1 green bell pepper de-seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tomato diced, with juices
1/3 cup vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon hot red chilli powder more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Garlicky Yogurt Sauce:

1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1 small clove garlic crushed
1/16 teaspoon salt
Water if necessary to thin it out

Other:

A pinch of dried mint for garnish
A pinch of hot red chilli powder for garnish
1 sprig fresh mint leaves for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Eggplant:

Salt the eggplant. Toss together the eggplant and salt in a large bowl. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while you chop the other vegetables. It will start to release its liquid.
Sauté the onion. Turn the electric pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and once hot, add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and jalapeno, and cook 1 minute more. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing. Stir in the rest of the olive oil, the green bell pepper, tomato (with juices), vegetable stock, turmeric, chilli powder, black pepper, and tomato paste.
Rinse and strain the eggplant. Put the eggplant in a fine mesh sieve and rinse it under cool running water. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Transfer the eggplant to the pot of the electric pressure cooker with the other vegetables and give it a stir to combine.
Cook. Turn the pot on Manual, High Pressure for 5 minutes, and then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
Thicken if necessary. Give it a good stir. It should have a thick stew-like consistency. If it needs thickening, turn the “Sauté” function on again and cook it for a couple minutes so that some of the liquid can evaporate off, stirring frequently. Taste and add salt if desired.

For the Garlicky Yogurt Sauce:

Whisk together the yogurt, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in enough water so the mixture is pourable, but not too watery.

To Serve:

Transfer the eggplant mixture to a serving dish. Drizzle the yogurt on top. Sprinkle on the dried mint and hot red chilli powder. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Net Carbs: 5 grams per serving
Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe yields about 6 cups, or 12 (1/2-cup) servings.
Storage and Reheating: You can make this recipe up to 5 days ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge until serving. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Store the eggplant separate from the garlicky yogurt, and wait to add the yogurt until right before serving.
Serving Temperature Tip: You can serve the eggplant warm or at room temperature, but the garlicky yogurt should be chilled.
Paleo Version: To make this paleo, omit the garlicky yogurt.
Vegan Version: Omit the yogurt sauce, or use vegan yogurt to make it.

How to Make Borani Banjan in the Oven

Making this recipe in the oven is a multi-step process:

Bake the eggplant in the oven (about 25 minutes at 350F), or alternatively, fry it on the stovetop.

Sauté the garlic and spices (about 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat).

Layer everything together (the eggplant, garlic/spices, tomatoes, and/or other vegetables), and then bake it again (about 25 minutes at 350F).

Nutrition