Enjoy your snack time with a healthy preparation. (Source: Nmami Agarwal/Instagram; designed by Gargi Singh)
We all love to snack once in a while, but what if we told you that instead of the ubiquitous potato, you could pick eggplant or baingan chips or roasted baingan instead? The Bengali dish called Begun Bhaja is enjoyed as a starter or even a snack.
The pan-fried or shallow-fried marinated slices of aubergines make for a great snack and even a good side dish to rice.
Here’s a recipe that nutritionist Nmami Agarwal shared on Instagram.
Ingredients
Use a large variety of baingan – Sliced
1tsp – Mustard oil
Pinch – Turmeric
1/2tsp – Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Method
Add all the ingredients and roast well.
Here’s a tip from us: If you are using baingan that has been lying at home for a while, toss the eggplant slices in salt, let it sit for an hour and then rinse under running/cool water right before cooking. This helps in roasting well.
Here’s why you should have baingan bhaja
*As per Agarwal, it is a great source of vitamins and minerals.
*It improves bone health.
*Helps in digestion.
Some other benefits
*Eggplants are considered great for people with diabetes as they are extremely high in fibre, polyphenols and low in calories. Foods that are rich in polyphenols can reduce the absorption of sugar and increase the secretion of insulin, which helps promote blood sugar control that is needed to keep diabetes in check.
*Eggplant is also a rich source of chlorogenic acid, a primary antioxidant which is known for reducing LDL cholesterol and the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is also packed with fibre that can benefit the cholesterol level.
Here’s a recipe we came across:
Are you all set to make it?