Borani banjaan

Borani banjan is a popular Afghan eggplant dish made with fried eggplant, a rich tomato sauce and fragrant dried mint, with this version adding sliced green capsicum for extra flavour and texture. For an authentic touch, add a side of Afghan bread! This recipe comes from fashion designer Anjilla Seddeqi.

• serves

  3-6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• Salt
• Cooking oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tomatoes, 2 diced, 1 sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 green capsicum, sliced into rings
• 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp labneh
• Dried mint, chilli flakes, green chilli, Afghan bread, to serve

Soaking time: at least 3 hours.

Instructions

1. Peel the eggplants and slice into 1 cm discs. Prepare a large bowl of water, then whisk through 2 tsp salt. Add the eggplant slices to the salted water and soak for 3 hours to overnight. Drain the water, then rinse the eggplants and pat dry with paper towel.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant in batches until golden and cooked through. Remove to a plate and repeat until all the eggplant is cooked.
3. Return the pan to the heat with an extra 2 tbsp oil. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute, then add the diced tomatoes (keep the sliced tomato aside for now), tomato paste and 1 tsp salt. Fry for a few minutes further, then add ½ cup water and simmer until thickened.
4. Layer the fried eggplant and sliced tomatoes in the pan with the sauce, finishing with a layer of sliced capsicum rings. Increase the heat and bring the sauce to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetable are tender and the oil separates from the sauce.
5. Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt and labne in a medium bowl, mixing until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Remove the pan with the eggplant from the heat. Spoon over the yoghurt labne mixture and garnish with dried mint, chilli flakes and green chilli. Serve with Afghan bread on the side.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.