Aloo Baingan Masala is a delicious and flavorful Punjabi curry where potatoes and eggplants are cooked with onions, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and a few Indian spices in an Instant Pot pressure cooker or stovetop. In Hindi, "Aloo" means potato, and "Baingan" means eggplant.
Worried about having brinjal for dinner? Some people love it, while others avoid it completely. If you're not a fan, let me change your mind about this delicious vegetable!
Indian cuisine has many delicious brinjal dishes, from appetizers to main courses. You might know achari baingan, Hyderabadi bagara baingan, yenegai, vangi bhath, and baingan ka bharta. But have you tried Aloo Baingan? Here’s a simple and tasty recipe that will make you love brinjal even more!
If you like potatoes, check out more Indian Potato Recipes
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What Is Aloo Baingan?
Aloo Baingan Masala is a simple one-pot dish cooked in an instant pot or on the stovetop using potatoes, eggplants, and fragrant spices. It is a vegan and gluten-free potato and eggplant curry that goes well with roti, naan, or parathas. You can use any eggplant for this recipe, regardless of the size and shape.
Ingredients
- Potato (Aloo):Â I used 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes. Dice into 1-1.5 inch pieces.
- Eggplant (Baingan):Â I used 6-8 small Indian eggplants. Cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces.
- Onion: I used 1 large red onion, finely sliced.
- Tomatoes: I used 2 medium Roma tomatoes.
- Ginger-Garlic: Use freshly minced ginger and garlic for the best flavor.
- Spices: I have used cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
How to Make Aloo Baingan Masala
Stovetop Method
Heat 2-3Â tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Next, add 1 inch minced ginger, 2 cloves garlic (minced), and 1 green chili (chopped), and saute for a few seconds until fragrant.
Then add 1 large onion (finely chopped) and saute until the onions turn light brown.
Next, add 2 medium chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft and mushy.
Add the dry spices like ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala. Cook for another 2 minutes till the masalas are cooked well.
Add 3 medium diced potatoes (about 2.5 cups), mix well, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add ¼ cup of water. Mix well. Cover, and cook the potatoes for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat until they are fork-tender. You may occasionally stir once or twice in between.
Then add diced 6-8 baby eggplant (about 3 cups) and mix well.
Cook covered for another 5 to 6 minutes (keep stirring in between occasionally), until the eggplant and the potatoes are perfectly cooked. You can add some ¼ cup of water to cook if needed.
Lastly, add 1Â teaspoon kasuri methi, 1Â tablespoon lemon juice and mix very well. Turn off the heat.
Garnish with 2Â tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves), and serve with roti or paratha.
Instant Pot Method
Firstly, peel the potato skin and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Also, cut Eggplant (baingan) into large pieces, 1 to 1.5 inches. If you finely chop them, eggplants will all turn mushy.
Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once hot, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
Then, add minced ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped onion and saute till onions turn light brown in color.
Next, add tomatoes, and all the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala, and cook for 2 more minutes till tomatoes turn soft.
Then add diced potato, eggplant, ½ cup of water, and salt and mix well. Make sure to scrape (deglaze) any spice if sticking to the pot.
Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, do a QUICK RELEASE (QR) by moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position.
Remove the lid away from you, squeeze in some lemon juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves), and Mix well.
BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add an extra ¼ cup of water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust the consistency of the curry according to your preference.Â
Instant Pot Aloo baingan is ready, serve hot.
What to Serve with Potato Brinjal Curry?
Serve Indian Style potato eggplant curry with roti, paratha, or steamed rice.
Storage Suggestions
Aloo baingan sabzi does well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat it on a stovetop pot or microwave until warm.
Expert Tips
- Cut eggplants 1-1.5 inches size pieces. If you dice them small, the eggplants will all turn mushy in an Instant pot.
- BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add ¼ cup of extra water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust the consistency of the curry according to your preference.
More Indian Curry Recipes
Instant Pot Aloo Baingan Masala | Potato Eggplant Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium potatoes (about 2.5 cups)
- 6-8 baby eggplant (about 3 cups)
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 1 green chili finely chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped, (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped, (about 1 cup)
- salt to taste
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi optional
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro)
Dry Spices
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Next, add minced ginger, garlic, and green chili, and saute for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Then add onions and saute until the onions turn light brown.
- Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft and mushy.
- Add the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala and cook for another 2 minutes till the masalas are cooked well.
- Add diced potatoes, mix well, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup of water. Mix well. Cover, and cook the potatoes for 6 to 7 minutes on medium-low heat until they are fork-tender. You may stir occasionally once or twice in between.
- Then add diced eggplant (brinjal) and mix well.
- Cook covered for another 5 to 6 minutes (keep stirring in between occasionally), until the eggplant and the potatoes are perfectly cooked. You can add some water to cook if needed.
- Lastly, add kasuri methi, lemon juice and mix very well. Turn off the heat.
- Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves), and serve with roti or paratha.
Instant Pot Method
- Firstly, peel the potato skin and cut it into 1-inch pieces. Also, cut Eggplant (baingan) into large pieces, 1 to 1.5 inches. If you finely chop them, eggplants will all turn mushy.Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add oil to the POT. Once hot, add cumin seeds, and let them splutter.
- Then add minced ginger, garlic, and green chili. Saute for 30 secs.
- Add chopped onion and saute till onions turn light brown in color.
- Next, add tomatoes, and all the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala, and cook for 2 more minutes till tomatoes turn soft.
- Then add diced potato, eggplant, ½ cup of water, and salt and mix well. Make sure to scrape (deglaze) any spice if sticking to the pot.
- Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes.When the instant pot beeps, do a QUICK RELEASE (QR) by moving the valve from the sealing to the venting position.BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add an extra ¼ cup of water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust the consistency of the curry according to your preference.Â
- Remove the lid away from you, squeeze in some lemon juice and garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves), and Mix well.
- Instant Pot Aloo baingan recipe or Potato Eggplant Curry is ready, serve hot with chapatis, roti & parathas.
Video
Notes
- Cut eggplants 1-1.5 inches size pieces, If you finely chop them, eggplants will all turn mushy in an Instant pot
- BURN ALERT? If your instant pot has shown BURN in the past, add ¼ cup of extra water and deglaze the pot before pressure cooking. You might have to put the instant pot on SAUTE at the end and adjust the consistency of the curry according to your preference.
- Also, you can increase or decrease red chili powder according to your spice level.
- Storage: This curry does well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
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Anonymous
Recipe great but the stupid pop up videos too annoying. I understand why you have them but too many on the page means they are ignored!
Bhavana Patil
Thank you glad you liked the recipe. I will surely look at the video or add popups.
Shelley
Question.. am I missing how much green pepper to put in? For some reason it’s not showing in the ingredients only in the steps and your video.
Bhavana Patil
Hey Shelley, You can add 1-2 thai chilies, i have missed adding in the recipe card, updated now.Thank you 🙂
Pat
Loved this dish! I am a big fan of eggplant and I have never made curry with potatoes but it is really perfect! After I used up my eggplant, I used the same recipe for potato and zuchini and cauliflower. All so good. It will become one of my staples. Really works with almost any veggies!!
Bhavana Patil
Thank you Pat 🙂 That's absolutely right, you can almost play around with various veggie combinations as you did and I'm sure most of them would go well with each other 🙂 Have a great day 🙂