Baingan Ka Bharta is like the hearty and comforting eggplant stew you look forward to after a long day, but it’s also a side dish. Spiced up with all the right ingredients, according to Shoba of Food Mazaa, it’s usually served with Hyderabadi Biryani. Hyderabadi Biryani is a dish named after the city where it originated, Hyderbad, India; usually a mutton and rice based dish, it can also be prepared without meat.

After you try it, Baingan Bharta will have a place on your weekly menu. It’ll remind your taste buds that spices other than salt and pepper exist! If you’re new to preparing Indian cuisine, the is the recipe you’ll want to use to get started. Shoba provides clear instructions for the recipe that are easy to follow, and there aren’t that many steps! You’ll not only savor this dish after it’s prepared, but you’ll also enjoy taking in the aroma of exotic spices, like coriander and tumeric, while it’s simmering on the stove.

When it comes to dinner sides, think of of the box this year and travel the world via your taste buds. Make it your resolution to introduce family and friends to the delicious foods they’ve been missing out on, like Shoba’s Baingan Ka Bharta!