In the heart of Odisha lies the sacred city of Puri, home to the world-famous Jagannath Temple – a spiritual and culinary wonder where every meal is an offering to the divine. Among its chappan bhog (56 Bhog) Mahaprasad dishes, one humble yet deeply flavorful preparation stands out: Goti Baigana Marichi Pani.
This traditional Odia brinjal and black pepper dish carries not just taste but the essence of faith, devotion, and centuries-old temple cooking. In this post, we explore the history, significance, and authentic recipe of Goti Baigana Marichi Pani—an offering that beautifully blends simplicity, purity, and sacred flavor.
HOW TO MAKE GOTI BAIGANA MARICHI PANI – STEP BY STEP RECIPE WITH IMAGES
- Take six to eight small eggplants (Brinjal) and give vertical slits as shown in the images.
2. Take the below mentioned spices in a small bowl :
- 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper Powder
- 1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon of Rock Salt
Add little water to the spices and make a paste.
3. Next, rub the spice paste on the outer and inner sides of each eggplant. We have do this very gently so that the eggplants remain intact.
4. Heat two to three tablespoon of Ghee in a earthenware or claypot. In Jagannath Puri temple kitchen, all the chappan bhog are cooked in clay pots hence we are using clay pot here. In case you do not have one, you may use normal cookwares like kadai, frying pan etc.
Once the ghee is hot, shallow fry the spice coated eggplants.
5. Next, we will prepare a masala paste for making the goti baigana marichi pani or the small eggplant curry. Soak the below mentioned spices in a cup of water for fifteen minutes :
- 1 teaspoon of Coriander Seeds
- 1 teaspoon of Cumin Seeds
- 1.5 teaspoon of Black Peppercorns
- 5 Green Cardamom
- 6 Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 inch Ginger, cut into slices
Add one tablespoon of Poppy Seeds (Posto) and half slice of tamarind at the time of making the masala paste. Grind all these spices together by adding little water and make a smooth paste.
6. Temper the existing ghee in the clay pot with bay leaves and cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds starts to splutter, add the prepared spice paste (in the above step), salt and turmeric powder. Fry the spices together for three to five minutes.
Once the masala is nicely fried, add one cup of water and one cup of thick coconut milk. Give a nice stir to mix the masala with the coconut milk. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the curry to full boil.
7. Next, add the fried eggplants to the gravy. Cover with the lid and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or till the eggplants are completely cooked and the gravy has thickened a bit. Switch off the gas and keep the clay pot covered for ten minutes before serving.
Goti Baigana Marichi Pani Mahaprasad (56 Bhog) is ready. Place a tulsi leaf and offer the bhog to Lord Jagannath.
HOW TO MAKE GOTI BAIGANA MARICHI PANI – WATCH VIDEO
