Let’s face it, eggplant or baingan isn’t anyone’s favourite or preferred vegetable. Whether it is as a sabzi or as an emoji, the vegetable isn’t in most people’s good graces. But I’m here to tell you, it’s an underappreciated champ.
Just like most people, I wasn’t a fan. I dodged baingan in sabzis like one dodges potholes on the roads in this country, made excuses for not eating baingan ka bharta and extensively made plans to escape a baingan dinner anytime I sensed it approaching. “The slimy texture feels weird,” I complained every time anyone in my “you have to eat all vegetables” household questioned my crinkled nose. That didn’t change until my aunt forcefully made me eat it one day, completely turning the cards on my logic. I actually liked it.
Some vegetables have PR teams. Potatoes, for instance, have done a stellar job. They’ve convinced generations they can be anything — fry, mash, curry, cutlet, paratha filling, vodka base. Cauliflower has fast risen to the top as an alternative to meat — cauliflower 65 or manchurian, anyone? Even bhindi, for that matter, is popular in the name of school-time nostalgia. These vegetables are a self-sustaining brand in themselves. Baingan, on the other hand, no one cares about. And that’s why I’m putting on my marketing hat in defence of this underappreciated vegetable.
Somewhere along the way, we decided eggplant belonged only in two categories: the humble sabzi or the smoky bharta. But have you ever had a Baingan Chettinad? Spicy, complex, fiery with black pepper and curry leaves, the eggplant soaks it all up like it was born to do this. Or a baingan biryani? For those of us who actually know the difference between a pulao and a veg biryani, the layers of a properly fried baingan in an insanely aromatic masala with basmati rice and caramelised onion are pure chef’s kiss. Cut it into round pieces, coat it with a combination of rava, red chilli powder and amchur powder and shallow fry it in a tava, and you have a crispy appetiser that you can eat on its own or with a roti. Eggplant Parm might be Italian, but who’s stopping you from doing an Indian take with curry leaves, masala, and a yoghurt-tamarind drizzle?
During the lockdown, my mom let her creativity run wild in the kitchen and experimented daily. That’s when I discovered that eggplant can actually be an excellent substitute for meat in several vegetarian dishes. It can be grilled and smoked like a steak, used in a biryani, or used in spicy curries, which are prepared mainly using chicken. It can also turn into a sandwich! Marinate it with spices of your choice, grill it and slip it into a sourdough sandwich with some cheese, pickled onions, and a swipe of chutney. I guarantee you, it’ll delightfully surprise you.
The Shape Shifter Vegetable
Eggplant is essentially like clay — you can mould it according to your culinary vision. It doesn’t just take flavour; it becomes flavour, and not a single bite tastes bland. The varieties of baingan, suitable for different types of preparations, also add to the charm of this vegetable as there are so many options to play with. And are we not going to speak of the gorgeous shades of purple it’s available in? Purple, which has long been considered the colour of royalty and opulence, sure adds a gorgeous charm to this vegetable.
Eggplant also has some good nutritional benefits. It’s low in calories, rich in fibre and antioxidants and contains several other vitamins and minerals, which make it a great addition to your diet.
And so maybe it’s time we stopped treating eggplant like the underachiever of the vegetable kingdom. Baingan doesn’t need a new recipe. It needs a new narrative. Because behind that purple, slightly awkward exterior is a vegetable that can hold spice, soak in smoke, play well with carbs, replace meat, and still carry its own dish. And so I will die on this hill supporting this gorgeous underdog vegetable, which deserves its moment in the spotlight, and it’s high time we give it that.
