Doi Begun: Transforming Eggplants into Comfort Food

Some dishes are more than just food—they’re memories served on a plate. They carry the warmth of familiar kitchens, the echoes of laughter-filled afternoons, and the subtle yet lasting impact of friendships. One such dish for me is Doi Begun, a humble yet flavorful Bengali delicacy that transformed my childhood aversion to eggplants into a lifelong appreciation. Growing up in a multicultural neighborhood had its magic. It was a place where cultures didn’t just coexist; they blended effortlessly through conversations, traditions, and, most memorably, food. Among the families near our house was a Bengali household, home to Sarkar Miss, as every child in the area fondly called her. She was a schoolteacher, a figure of discipline and kindness, someone who commanded respect in the classroom but exuded warmth outside of it. My mother struck a friendship with her, and food became their shared language.

Every once in a while, there would be an exchange of home-cooked meals. A bowl of chicken pulao would make its way to their home, and in return, a plate of patisapta, doodh puli, or chamcham would arrive at ours. Through these sweet delicacies, I first encountered Bengali cuisine, but Doi Begun left an unexpected imprint on my palate and memory.

As a child, I wasn’t fond of eggplants. They seemed bland, mushy, and unappealing—until the day Sarkar Miss sent over a dish with velvety slices of eggplant, smothered in a spiced yogurt sauce, glistening with mustard oil, and flecked with aromatic spices. My mother insisted I try it, promising it was different. Reluctantly, I took a bite, expecting disappointment. Instead, I was surprised. The yogurt had a cooling tang, the eggplant was soft yet firm, and the mustard seeds added a gentle crunch. There was a harmony of flavors—slightly smoky, slightly tangy, mildly spiced—unlike anything I had tasted before. That dish redefined eggplant for me. It wasn’t just an ingredient to avoid anymore; it was something that, when prepared right, could be comforting and delicious. From that day on, Doi Begun became one of those dishes that always evoked a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of childhood afternoons spent watching my mother and Sarkar Miss chat over cups of tea, of stolen bites from warm patisapta, and of the way food had the quiet power to bring people together.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• Eggplants (sliced into thick rounds) 2 medium
• Yogurt (whisked) 1/2 cup
• Greek yogurt (whisked) ½ cup
• Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Roasted and crushed cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Red chili powder 1 teaspoon
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
• Mustard oil (or any cooking oil)
• Green chili (slit) 1-2
• Curry leaves (optional, but adds depth) 4-5
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander for garnish

Method:

1. Sprinkle turmeric, red chili powder, and salt over the eggplant slices and let them rest for 10 minutes. Heat mustard oil in a pan until it smokes lightly.
2. Fry the eggplant slices until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves to the same pan.
3. Let them splutter. In a large bowl, whisk red chili powder, crushed cumin, cumin powder, salt, and sugar until everything is well combined.
4. Heat some oil in a shallow pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, and curry leaves, and let them splutter.
5. Gently place the fried eggplant slices into a bowl and layer them with half the spiced yogurt sauce.
6. Heat some oil in a shallow pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, and curry leaves, and let them splutter. Use this to temper the rest of the sauce and reserve some for garnish at the end. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm with steamed rice or luchi (Bengali-style fried bread).