Afghani Borani Recipe | Banjan Borani | Borani Banjan | Afghan Bourani | Mezze | Aubergine Dip

We enjoy trying all types of cuisines and are so lucky to have such a great variety of restaurants here in London! When we first visited an Afghani restaurant, I completely fell in love with this appetiser dish. I love aubergine anyway, but the way this was cooked took the aubergine to another level!

My creative juices began to flow as I tried to figure out how to make this this dish. Along the way, to make it completely vegan I used vegan yoghurt and it was delicious! My friends, who don't like aubergine at all, said that they really enjoyed the dip despite hating aubergine! So do try this dip. I'm sure you'll love it! Enjoy!

Afghani Borani Recipe Cooking Time: 30 Minutes (Approx)

Serves 4-6 People

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Whole Medium Aubergines (500g), peeled, cut and sliced into 1/2 cm slices

• 400ml - 500ml Sunflower or Corn Oil (for deep frying)

• 1 Tbspn (15 ml) Oil (from frying)

• 1 Cup (250 ml) Crushed Tinned Tomatoes

• 1 tspn Crushed Garlic

• ½ tspn Crushed Ginger

• 1 tspn Ground Coriander

• ¼ tspn Ground Black Pepper

• 2 tspn Sugar

• 1 tspn Salt

• ½ Cup Yoghurt (can use Vegan Yoghurt)

• ¼ tspn Salt

• ¼ tspn Crushed Garlic

METHOD:

Heat up the oil in a pan to deep fry the aubergine.

Peel the aubergine and cut it into 1/4 inch or about 1/2 cm slices as shown in the video. Keep the pieces together to avoid discolouring.

Deep fry aubergine slices until they are light, golden brown. Place on paper towels to remove as much oil as possible.

Make the sweet tomato sauce by taking 1 Tbspn oil from the deep frying into a small saucepan.

Heat the oil on medium heat and add the garlic. Fry the garlic until it is golden in colour.

Then add the crushed tomatoes and stir.

Add the ginger, coriander, black pepper, sugar and salt and cook this sauce until it is slightly thickened.

Then add the fried auberine to the sauce and cook this until the aubergine is completely softened. You can break up the aubergine with a spoon if desired.

Make the yoghurt sauce in a bowl by adding the garlic and salt to the yoghurt. Add some water to thin it out.

To serve the bourani dip, drizzle some yoghurt sauce on the plate reserving a little to drizzle on top.

Place the aubergine in tomato sauce on top of the yoghurt then drizzle more of the yoghurt over the aubergine.

Enjoy with pita chips as part of a mezze.