You’re going to love this vegetarian and gluten free Kashmiri Baingan with Yogurt – Instant Pot Eggplant Curry. The eggplant is succulent and tender with a moist mouthwatering sauce and is seriously easy to make.
In Kashmiri cuisine, this recipe is known as Duadha Wangun, Duadha meaning yogurt and Wangun meaning eggplant.
In the traditional recipe the eggplants need to be deep fried first before cooking. However, I have sautéed them in the pot. Also, my method of sautéing the eggplants is a spin off the authentic Kashmiri method, but it allows me to pull off a beautiful, juicy, flavorful stir-fried eggplant dish that doesn’t require at least 1/2 cup of oil. However, you are welcome to deep fry; but, I do feel that sautéing works just as well. Moreover, it is really a personal preference. I am too lazy to deep fry.
What kind of eggplant do I need for this Kashmiri Baingan with Yogurt: Instant Pot Eggplant Curry recipe?
Indian eggplants. Purple and spherical, Indian eggplants – also known as baby eggplants – can be found in Indian grocery stores. They are small with a dark reddish-purple color. Moreover, always look for younger, smaller eggplants that feel firm and are not mushy.
What ingredients to we need?
Oil, eggplants, yogurt (low fat or whole milk), asafoetida, whole dried chili peppers, black cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, Kashmiri chili powder, ground fennel, ground ginger, ground cumin, salt, water and serrano peppers.
How do we make this recipe?
Prep:
The yogurt needs to be at room temperature. Keep ¾ cup out of the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. Add rice flour and whisk it well with a spoon until it is slightly liquid and set it aside. This step is key to prevent curdling of yogurt.
When ready to cook, clean the eggplants by running cold water on them and wiping dry with a paper towel. In Kashmiri recipes, you don’t slice off the top of the eggplant. You keep the stem intact. Cut the eggplant body in half lengthwise/vertically. You can remove any leaves if those are on. If the eggplant is small then two halves are good. If the eggplant is slightly large like over 5 inches then chop them in to 4 parts each.
Cooking the Kashmiri Baingan with Yogurt: Instant Pot Eggplant Curry recipe:
First, select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. Second, add 4 tablespoons oil to the pot. Third, when the oil is hot add in the chopped eggplants and let them sauté for 8 minutes until they brown.
Furthermore, move the eggplants to the side and add in asafoetida, whole dried chili peppers, black cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Stir and sauté for a minute.
Next, add in Kashmiri chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Stir well. Then in about 30 seconds to a minute add in ground fennel, ground ginger, ground cumin and stir gently without breaking the eggplants. Add salt and stir.
Finally, close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes. When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize.
Then open the lid, add in ¼ cup water and right away keep adding a spoon of yogurt gently.
Keep mixing the yogurt in the pot as you add it, one spoon at a time. This step will prevent curdling. I have figured this trick out. First add water to bring the temperature down, second add in yogurt and mix it continually in the gravy to prevent curdling.
Repeat until you run out to yogurt. Mix well. Select sauté and bring the eggplant curry to boil mixing continually.
Then, transfer the cooked dish in a serving bowl, garnish with serrano peppers and serve over steamed rice.
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Moreover, try some of our other kashmiri recipes:
Instant Pot Kohlrabi Curry / Instant Pot Kashmiri Monji Haak / Kashmiri Style Knol Khol Curry
Kashmiri Lotus Stem Curry – Instant Pot Kashmiri Nadru
Butternut Squash Curry – Instant Pot Indian Squash
Mushroom Paneer Bell Pepper – Instant Pot Mushroom Paneer Curry
Kashmiri Baingan with Yogurt: Instant Pot Eggplant Curry
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker Electric
Ingredients
- 8 indian eggplants, small (10.1 oz)
- 3/4 cup yogurt, whole milk or low fat (whisked well with a spoon or whisk at room temperature)
- 2 tsp rice flour (chawal ka atta)
- 4 tbsp oil of choice
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
- 2 whole dried red chili peppers
- 2 whole black cardamom pod (kali elaichi)
- 3 whole cloves (laung)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 cinnamon stick 2 inch piece (dalchini)
- 1 tbsp kashmiri chili powder
- 3/4 cup water (divided)
- 1 tsp ground fennel (saunf powder)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 serrano peppers, small and whole (for garnish)
Instructions
Prep
- The yogurt needs to be at room temperature. Keep ¾ cup out of the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. Add rice flour and whisk it well with a spoon until it is slightly liquid and set it aside. This step is key to prevent curdling of yogurt.
- When ready to cook, clean the eggplants by running under cold running water and wiping dry with a paper towel. In Kashmiri recipes, you don’t slice off the top of the eggplant. You keep the stem intact. Cut the eggplant body in half lengthwise/vertically. If the eggplant is small then two halves are good. If the eggplant is slightly large like over 5 inches then chop them in to 4 parts each.
Cook
- Select sauté on the Instant Pot and adjust to normal. Second, add oil to the pot.
- When the oil is hot add in the chopped eggplants and let them sauté for 8 minutes until they brown.
- Move the eggplants to the side in the pot and add in asafoetida, whole dried chili peppers, black cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Stir and let it all sauté for a minute.
- Add in Kashmiri chili powder and 1/2 cup water. Stir well. Then in about 30 seconds to a minute add in ground fennel, ground ginger, ground cumin and stir gently without breaking the eggplants.
- Finally add in salt. Again, give it a good stir.
- Finally, close the lid and select manual/high pressure for 2 minutes. When cooking is complete, use quick pressure release to depressurize. Open the lid.
- Then, add in ¼ cup water and right away keep adding in a tablespoon of whisked yogurt and rice flour gently and continually. Keep mixing the yogurt in the pot as you add it. This step will prevent curdling. Repeat until you run out to yogurt. Mix the added yogurt well in the gravy. Select sauté and sauté until the curry boils. Keep mixing. Press cancel.
- Transfer the cooked dish in a serving bowl, garnish with serrano peppers and serve over steamed rice.
Notes
- The yogurt needs to be at room temperature. Keep ¾ cup out of the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. Whisk it well with a spoon until it is slightly liquid and set it aside. This step is key to prevent curdling of yogurt.
- In the traditional recipe the eggplants need to be deep fried first before cooking. However, I have sautéed them in the pot. Also, my method of sautéing the eggplants is a spin off the authentic Kashmiri method, but it allows me to pull off a beautiful, juicy, flavorful stir-fried eggplant dish that doesn’t require at least 1/2 cup of oil. However, you are welcome to deep fry; but, I do feel that sautéing works just as well. Moreover, it is really a personal preference. I am too lazy to deep fry.
- The whole spices (cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and whole dried red chili pepper can be discarded, they don’t need to be consumed).
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