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Tschok wangun
Sour tamarind aubergine
چوک وانگن (tschok wangun): Kashmiri Pandit sour aubergine with tamarind, fennel and dried ginger
Tschok wangun is a Kashmiri Pandit dish from the Srinagar valley, cooked on ordinary weekdays and on fasting days when onion and garlic are kept out of the kitchen. Thick wedges of aubergine are fried in smoking mustard oil, then simmered in a thin, tart tamarind broth flavoured with ground fennel, dried ginger and Kashmiri chilli, so the pieces keep their shape but turn silky inside. Serve it with plain steamed rice and a bowl of dal. The usual mistake is adding the tamarind before the aubergine is properly fried: the pieces then soak up the sour liquid, collapse and taste raw. Chef's tip: heat the mustard oil until it just smokes, then let it cool for a minute before frying, which takes away its harsh edge.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb aubergines (long or round)cut into 5 cm wedges
- 4 tbsp mustard oil
- 3 cloves
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tsp ground fennel
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp tamarind pulpsoaked in 4 tbsp warm water and strained
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp Kashmiri garam masala (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a wide, heavy pan over a high heat until it just smokes, then take it off the heat for 1 minute and return it to a medium-high heat.
3 minStep 2: Fry 1 ⅛ lb aubergines (long or round) in batches for 3–4 minutes a side until deep golden on the cut faces and soft when pressed. Lift each batch onto a plate.
12 minStep 3: Add 3 cloves to the oil left in the pan. Turn off the heat, stir in 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ¼ tsp ground turmeric with 2 tbsp of the 1 ¼ cups water so the spices don't burn, then turn the heat back to medium.
1 minStep 4: Add the rest of the 1 ¼ cups water, 2 tsp ground fennel, 1 tsp ground dried ginger (sonth), 2 tbsp tamarind pulp and ¾ tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes until the broth tastes rounded rather than sharp.
4 minStep 5: Slide the aubergine back in, cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan rather than stirring, until the pieces are tender right through and the broth has reduced by about a third and has a film of red oil on top.
10 minStep 6: Sprinkle with ¼ tsp Kashmiri garam masala if using, rest for 5 minutes and serve warm with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tschok wangun take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
- What can I use instead of kashmiri chilli powder?
- Sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne (gives the same colour, less heat).
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