Beguni in simple language is deep-fried besan-coated egg-plant slices
If you are someone who loves Bengali cuisine, then you have come across ‘tele bhaja’. Tele bhaja, that literally means deed-fried in mustard oil, is an indispensable part of Bengali food culture. From evening snacks to meal accompaniment, ‘tele bhaja’ can be found everywhere. It is basically various kinds of fritters, made out of every possible vegetables, green leaves, eggs, fish and meat. In the long list of Bengali-style fritters (chop/tele bhaja), one item that stands out as a classic is ‘beguni’. Beguni in simple language is deep-fried besan-coated egg-plant slices; it is the crispier version of begun bhaja. To make it crunchier, some people add small amount of baking powder and poppy seeds (posto/khus khus) to the beguni batter. It is a quintessential accompaniment with daal-bhaat, khichdi and even evening chai in almost every Bengali household. It is said that beguni has a distant cousin in the European countries called aubergine fritters.
Speaking about egg-plant, or as we call it baingan or begun (in Bengali), it is one such vegetable in the kitchen, which people have love-hate relationship with- some baingan-based dishes are well appreciated by people (like bharwan baingan), whereas some turn them off (may be the simple aloo-baingan). It is also one of those must-have vegetables in an Indian household whose benefits are not much spoken about. According to experts, anthocyanin- a pigment in egg-plant is touted to be good for heart-health. It is also said to aid digestion and increase the production of red blood cells in the body.
We bring you a quick and easy recipe of beguni that may add on to the list of your favourite baingan-based dishes. What are you waiting for? Don you apron and rush to the kitchen this evening to make a crispy accompaniment for your evening tea. Happy cooking!
Here’s The Recipe Video For Making Beguni At Home:
Also Read: How to Make Brinjal Fry: Eastern India’s Popular Vegetarian Dish
About Somdatta SahaExplorer- this is what Somdatta likes to call herself. Be it in terms of food, people or places, all she craves for is to know the unknown. A simple aglio olio pasta or daal-chawal and a good movie can make her day.