The sound of sizzle and roasting and the beautiful smoky aroma on a chilly winter night stir up the olfactory senses. Begun pora with plenty of fresh green coriander leaves, chopped green chillies and mustard oil along with Ma er hather gorom gorom ruti, isn’t it the best?
Kolkata is a hot and humid city and we eagerly look forward to the short-lived winter. We make the best of the season in terms of clothes, food and festivity. Family get-togethers, mandatory picnics, weekend parties, school sports and so on. Winter is here. And along with it- all the typical clichés. Keo Karpin Body Oil, Tuhina Body Lotion and Boroline were synonymous with Bengali Winters other than the famous Monkey Cap. Do we still miss them? I think not.
Roasted Eggplant in Other Communities
Begun pora has many cousins. Baingan ka bharta is almost similar but the eggplant is not roasted in the latter. Baba Ganoush is a close cousin. Well, these are the famous ones. When we posted the Instagram reel last year, there was a flurry of comments. Someone mentioned an eggplant pachidi from south India with onions, chillies and beaten curd. There are many people who prick garlic in the eggplant while roasting to give it that subtle garlic flavour. And adding roasted tomatoes to it is the most common variation. Gaud Saraswat brahmin cuisine has brinjal roasted and mashed with tamarind pulp called vaigana gojju.
Making Begun Pora
Make slits in the body of the eggplant. You will need the large ones (for making bharta). Usually the winter eggplants don’t have any insects or worms but still spread the eggplant with your fingers to be assured. Then rub mustard oil all over the body. Over medium flame, roast the eggplant by placing it on a wire mesh and turning the eggplant every few mins to cook all sides. When the eggplant has become soft, remove it and let it cool down a bit. Remove the charred skin. You don’t have to be extra meticulous. A little bit of charry skin here and there adds to the taste. Now add chopped onion, green chili and chopped coriander leaves to taste. Drizzle mustard oil and sprinkle salt to taste. Serve with roti.
Here are a few other eggplants recipes that you may like:
- Beguner Khagina- Eggs cooked with eggplant
- Neem Begun- Eggplant and Neem Leaves Stir-Fry
- Doi Begun- Eggplant Cooked in a Yoghurt Sauce
- Begun Bhaja- Eggplant Fry
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Begun Pora - Roasted Eggplant Bengali Way
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 chopped green chilies
- handful of coriander leaves
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Make slits in the body of the eggplant. You will need the large ones (for making bharta).
- Usually the winter eggplants don’t have any insects or worms but still spread the eggplant with your fingers to be assured. Then rub 1-2 tsp of mustard oil all over the body.
- Over medium flame, roast the eggplant by placing it on a wire mesh and turning the eggplant every few mins to cook all sides.
- When the eggplant has become soft, remove it and let it cool down a bit. Remove the charred skin. You don’t have to be extra meticulous. A little bit of charry skin here and there adds to the taste.
- Now add chopped onion, green chilli and chopped coriander leaves to taste.
- Drizzle mustard oil and sprinkle salt to taste
Pikturenama is a blog about our travel and food escapades along with stories to share through photography. 
