Rigan nu shak is a beloved Gujarati curry that offers a harmonious blend of mildly spicy, tangy, and subtly sweet flavors, much like other traditional Gujarati dishes. It features a delicious masala made from peanuts, sesame seeds, and dry coconut, which is cooked with fried brinjal slices until the flavors fully develop. I’m also sharing a simple recipe for soft and fluffy wheat flour puris that pair perfectly with the shak. Both the shak and puri are quick and easy to prepare, making them an ideal choice for everyday meals or when entertaining guests. Give this recipe a try!
The key to making tasty rigan nu shak with puri at home are
For Rigan nu Shaak:
- First, cut the rigan (eggplant) into medium-thick slices. Avoid cutting them too thin, as they may become mushy when cooked. Fry the rigan slices in oil for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat; don’t fry them on low heat. I made this sabzi (vegetable dish) using only rigan, but you can add potatoes for variation.
- Next, prepare the masala by combining equal amounts of roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and dry coconut. Grind these into a coarse powder, which adds thickness and enhances the flavor of the gravy.
- Lastly, Rigan nu Shaak tastes even better the next day, as the masala gets fully absorbed, enriching the dish.
For Puri:
- For the puri dough, I used a mix of wheat flour and a little rava (semolina). Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes to give it the right texture, which helps in rolling larger puris.
- Roll the puris to medium thickness—if rolled too thin, they may not puff up. Place the rolled puris on a slightly damp cloth to retain moisture, which helps them puff up when you splash hot oil on them.
- Finally, fry the puris on high heat, one at a time, to avoid overlapping. Frying in small batches ensures even cooking. Serve the puris immediately for the best taste.
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Rigan nu shak recipe | Gujarati style rigan nu shak | poori and sabzi
Ingredients
For rigan nu shak
- 500 grm rigan
- 2 big size onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 tbsp roasted peanut
- 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp coconut
- 5-6 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- Pinch of hing
- 4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 5-6 curry leaves
- 2 dry red chilli
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp kitchen king
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp malai
- ½ cup + ¼ cup water or as required
- Garnish with dry coconut and coriander leaves
For puri
- 2 cup wheat flour
- 2 tbsp rava
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup water or as required
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Making Rigan nu Shaak
- Wash and dry 500 grams of rigan (eggplant) and cut it into medium-thick slices.
- Heat oil in a pan, add the rigan slices, and fry them on medium-high flame until they are 80-90% cooked. This should take about 3 minutes. Remove the fried slices and place them in a sieve to drain.
- In a blender, add 2 large onions and grind them into a paste. Set aside.
- In the same blender, add 2 tomatoes and grind them into a paste. Set aside.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of roasted peanuts, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, and 2 tablespoons of dry coconut to the blender. Pulse the mixture to make a coarse powder. Set aside.
- Heat 5-6 tablespoons of oil in a kadai, then add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, a pinch of hing (asafoetida), 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 5-6 curry leaves, and 2 dry red chilies. Sauté until aromatic.
- Add 1 teaspoon of green chili paste and 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste, and sauté briefly.
- Add the onion paste and sauté until golden.
- Lower the heat, and add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 teaspoon kitchen king masala, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¼ cup hot water. Mix well and cook the spices until they are well incorporated.
- Add the tomato puree and salt, and sauté until the oil starts to release from the sides of the gravy.
- Now add the peanut-sesame-coconut mixture and sauté briefly. Then add 2 tablespoons of malai (cream) and mix well until the gravy has a creamy texture.
- Add the fried rigan slices to the gravy and mix gently.
- Add ½ cup water, mix well, cover, and cook the sabzi on low flame for 5-6 minutes.
- The Rigan nu Shaak is ready. Garnish with dry coconut and coriander leaves.
Making Puri
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups wheat flour, 2 tablespoons rava (semolina), 2 tablespoons oil, salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well.
- Gradually add ½ cup water or as required, and knead the dough until it’s tight and firm for puris.
- Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Knead the dough again to smooth it.
- Take a small portion of the dough and roll it into a medium-sized, medium-thick puri.
- Place the rolled puri on a slightly damp cloth to allow moisture to absorb on the surface.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the puris. Gently splash hot oil over them to help them puff up.
- Fry the puris until they turn slightly brown on both sides.
- Serve the puris with Rigan nu Shaak.
Notes
For rigan nu shak
- Cut the eggplant (rigan) into medium-thick slices; avoid cutting them too thin.
- Fry the eggplant slices on medium-high heat, not on low heat.
- For the masala, use equal portions of roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and dry coconut.
- Crushed masala powder adds thickness and enhances the taste of the gravy.
- Onion and tomato paste enrich the flavor of the sabzi.
- Sautéing the dry masala in oil enhances the taste of the sabzi.
- Sautéing the masala in oil also improves the flavor and color of the sabzi.
- Adding malai (cream) gives a creamy texture to the gravy.
- You can substitute malai with a cashew and milk paste for a similar creamy effect.
- Adding rava helps keep the puris fluffy for a longer time.
- Knead the dough tight and smooth for perfect puris.
- Place the rolled puris on a slightly damp cloth.
- Splash hot oil on the surface of the puris to make them puff up. Fry the puris over medium-high heat.
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