Beguni
Beguni is the essential snack of Ramadan evenings in Bangladesh, a simple dish that appears at every street stall and in every home at iftar time, when the day's fast is broken at sunset. The combination of crispy eggplant and fluffy chickpea batter makes it an accessible, cheap and quick-to-prepare snack, suited to the crowds gathering at street markets before dusk. While beguni is eaten year-round, its popularity explodes during Ramadan, when street vendors in Dhaka prepare thousands of portions daily, alongside other traditional fried snacks. The contrasting texture — soft eggplant inside, crispy chickpea coating outside — is considered the mark of a well-made beguni, and many Bengalis have their own favorite spice blend passed down through the family.
Thin eggplant slices
The eggplant is cut into thin discs, which cook quickly and evenly.
Fluffy gram flour batter
Chickpea flour mixed with water and spices forms a thick, fluffy batter.
Nigella and black cumin
Nigella seeds give the batter a slightly bitter, characteristic aroma.
Fried crisp over high heat
The coated slices fry briefly in hot oil, until golden and crisp.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 2 long eggplants, thinly sliced
- 250g chickpea flour
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
- 1/2 tsp black cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 150ml cold water
- Oil for frying
How to make it
- 1Cut the eggplants into thin, lengthwise slices about 5mm thick, keeping the stem attached to make them easier to handle.
- 2Lightly salt the slices and let them sit for 15 minutes, to draw out excess water, then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- 3Mix the chickpea flour in a bowl with the turmeric, paprika, nigella seeds, black cumin and salt.
- 4Gradually add the cold water, stirring continuously, until you get a thick but pourable batter, without lumps.
- 5Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat, until it reaches the right temperature for frying.
- 6Dip each eggplant slice fully into the batter, coating it evenly on all sides, then carefully place it in the hot oil.
- 7Fry the slices 3-4 at a time, turning them only once, for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.
- 8Remove onto paper towels to drain excess oil, and serve hot, as a snack, alongside Bengali tea or rice with dal.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
