baingan bharta

Spicy fire roasted eggplant mash, Baingan Bharta is best enjoyed with roti or parathas. This Punjabi Baingan Bharta recipe uses minimal spices for the best results! Vegan &amp; gluten-free.

Baingan Bharta

eggplant (around 550 grams)

garlic cloves

oil (I used vegetable oil)

garlic

ginger (chopped)

green chili (or to taste, chopped)

red onion (120 grams, chopped)

tomatoes (280 grams, chopped)

red chili powder (or to taste)

coriander powder

salt (or

cilantro

Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Brush it with little oil all over. Then make few slits all over the eggplant with a knife. In 3 of those slits, insert a large clove of garlic. Put the eggplant directly on heat and roast, turning often for around 10-12 minutes until completely roasted.

Once roasted (to check if its done, insert a knife inside the eggplant, it should go easily) use a pair of tongs to remove the eggplant from heat and wrap in an aluminium foil to cool.

Once cooled, remove the skin. Meanwhile also chop the roasted garlic.

Transfer the roasted eggplant to a bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher. Set it aside.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic (different from the ones used while roasting the eggplant), ginger and green chili. Saute until they start changing color, around 2 minutes.

Then add in the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Don't brown them.

Add the chopped tomatoes and mix.&nbsp;Cook the tomatoes for around 5 minutes until very soft and you notice oil oozing out of the masala.

Add the mashed roasted eggplant into the pan along with the chopped roasted garlic and mix well.

Add the red chili powder and mix.&nbsp;Also add the coriander powder and salt and mix to combine. Cook the bharta for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often.

Stir in the chopped cilantro and mix. Remove pan from heat.

Serve baingan bharta hot with fresh rotis!

Indian baingan bharta made with grilled eggplants, spices, onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves. This super flavorful dish is easy and is great to serve as a side dish. It goes well with roti, rice or even with bread.

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Bharta)

eggplants ((baingan))

green chilies ((slit, adjust to taste))

oil oil

medium onion ((½ cup chopped, 130 grams))

tomato ((¾ cup deseeded & chopped, 200 grams))

garlic ((fine chopped))

ginger ((fine chopped))

red chilli powder ((adjust to taste))

½ teaspoon garam masala ((read notes))

salt ((adjust

coriander leaves ((fine chopped))

Rinse eggplants well under running water and wipe dry with a kitchen tissue. Make 4 slits on the brinjal and push 4 garlic cloves deep inside 2 slits. Also push 2 slit green chilies in the other 2 slits. Brush them with oil.

Preparation

On Direct Fire: With the help of a tong, place it on direct fire. You can do it either on the red hot coal or stovetop. Keep turning it to all the other sides and grill until it is done completely roasted. It takes about 12 to 14 mins.

To grill in oven: Line a metal tray with foil. Cut each eggplant to 2 parts and place them on the tray with the skin side on top. You can also place the tomatoes in the same tray. Broil/Grill them at 460 F or 240 C for 16 to 18 mins.

In air fryer: Place baingan, chilies, garlic and tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 F or 200 C. It takes roughly about 22 mins for the whole eggplant, 16 mins if you halve the eggplant &amp; air fry.

Once done, check by inserting a fork into the eggplant. It should go in smoothly &amp; easily meaning it is soft and cooked well. (Check step-by-step photos above)

Cool the eggplant and peel the skin. Optionally - Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and cover it for 5 mins. Once done remove the skin.

Mash or chop the eggplant, grilled garlic and green chilies. Keep these aside. Chop the tomatoes, onions and raw garlic as well.

Grilling Eggplants

Pour oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add chopped ginger and garlic.

Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic.

Then add chopped onions and saute until they turn light golden.

Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until they become soft. Then add red chili powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell from the tomatoes goes away.

Then mashed eggplants, garlic and green chilies. (You may want to save half of the green chilies for later after taste testing)

Mix everything and mash it a bit to blend well. Then add garam masala and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.

Taste test and add more salt and green chilli. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve baingan bharta with roti, rice or naan.

How to Make Baingan Bharta

Baingan bharta is THE eggplant dish that will make you fall in love with eggplant! It&#039;s a smoky eggplant mash mixed with a flavorful blend of garlic, ginger, spices, and tomatoes. Choose from the traditional method for the best results—smoking whole eggplants on an open flame—or the sauté method for something a little easier.

eggplant

Grapeseed oil oil

cumin seeds

red (or yellow) onion, (finely diced)

garlic cloves, (finely chopped)

1- inch piece ginger, (grated (or minced))

turmeric

coriander

kosher salt

plum

kashmiri red chile powder*

garam masala

(16 grams) cilantro leaves and tender stems, (chopped)

Vegan naan, roti, or other flatbread, or cooked white or brown rice

Note: These first five steps are for the smoking the eggplant; check out the blog post &amp; notes below for the alternative sauté method.*Ventilate your kitchen and open the windows. Grab a fan if you have one. Peel any leaves from the top of the eggplant to prevent them from burning. Brush the eggplant with a bit of oil using a pastry brush or your hands, just a light coating.

Turn a gas burner on your stove to medium-low heat. Use tongs to hold the eggplant upright (vertically) and hold the bottom of the eggplant over the flame for 3 to 6 minutes to char the bottom, or until a paring knife can pierce the bottom without too much resistance. Flip the eggplant 180º and use tongs to char the top of the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes, but make sure the stem doesn’t directly touch the flame to avoid burning.

Place the eggplant onto its side (lying flat, horizontally) and rest it directly on top of the flame, positioning the fatter bottom part directly over the flame. Gently rotate the eggplant every 2 minutes. Once deeply charred and very wrinkly, insert a paring knife into the fattest part: if the knife slides in easily and there is minimal resistance, the bottom is done. If your eggplant was soft/ripe to begin with, it might take 8 minutes. If not, it can take 16 minutes. Now insert a paring knife into the skinnier top part part. If it has no resistance, the eggplant is done. If there is a bit of resistance, cook for 4 to 6 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes, until charred and wrinkly.Note: as the eggplant cooks, it might sizzle a bit and some juice might escape onto your stove. This is normal.

Turn off the heat and use tongs to transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Cover with a plate to steam for 5 minutes. Use your hands to peel off the charred papery black flakes. Dip your hands in water to make it easier to peel. It&#39;s okay if tiny little black spots remain.

Slice off the head of the peeled eggplant. Using a knife, flat ended spatula, or potato masher, mash the flesh of the eggplant, as if you were mincing garlic.Note: If your eggplant was ripe/soft to begin with, it&#39;s possible the cooked eggplant will be quite watery. If that&#39;s the case, add it to a fine mesh sieve and push down on it with a spoon to squeeze out as much excess water as you can.

Make the bharta. Heat the 1 1/2 TBSP oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add  cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute, tossing or swirling frequently to prevent burning. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, but don’t let them brown. Add the garlic, ginger, serrano peppers, and turmeric, and cook, stirring frequently for 60 to 90 seconds. Add the coriander, salt, and tomatoes, and cook until the oil starts to release from the tomatoes and the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add in the mashed eggplant mixture and red chile powder and toss well to combine. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often and mashing together. Add in the garam masala and chopped cilantro and season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Serve warm with bread or rice of choice.

Baingan bharta is a popular Punjabi dish from the North Indian cuisine. It is made with a mash of fire-roasted eggplant, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. I share a simply delicious family heirloom recipe which you will love.

eggplant (- large purple variety known

onions

tomatoes (or 2 medium sized tomatoes)

green chiles (or serrano peppers

red chili powder (or cayenne

coriander leaves

salt (as required)

Rinse the eggplant in water and then pat dry with a kitchen napkin. Cut the eggplant from its base up-to an inch away from the stem without breaking it apart.

Cut on four sides or directions as shown in the step-by-step guide above. The eggplant has to be whole when you place it on the stove-top.

Pull apart the cut sides gently and check for worms or any black spots. Discard the eggplant if you see any worms in it.

If the eggplant looks clean and without worms, then proceed further. Optionally you can spread a light layer of oil all over it.

Keep it for roasting on direct flame on the stove-top. Keep the flame to medium-low or medium.

Note that as the eggplant cooks some of the juices and drippings will fall which you can wipe later. I don’t recommend placing or covering the sides of the stove-top burner with aluminum foil as they can burn and be dangerous.

You can also grill the eggplant in the oven. But then do note that you won’t get the smoky flavor in the eggplant.

Secure the eggplant between tongs and keep on turning it after 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that it is evenly cooked.

Roast the eggplant till its completely cooked and tender. With a fork or knife check the doneness. The knife should slide easily in aubergine without any resistance. Remove the eggplant and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools.

Roasting Eggplant

You can also do the dhungar technique of infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the eggplant. This is an optional step. Use natural charcoal for this method. Carefully heat a small piece of charcoal on flame with the help of tongs or by placing it in a wired metal fire-proof rack above the flame, till it becomes smoking hot and red.

Make small cuts on the roasted eggplant with a knife. Place the red hot charcoal in the same plate where the roasted aubergine is kept. Add a few drops of oil on the charcoal. The charcoal would begin to smoke.

As soon as smoke begins to release from the charcoal, cover the entire plate tightly with a large bowl. Allow the charcoal smoke to get infused for 1 to 1.5 minutes.

Alternatively, you can also do this dhungar method once the baingan bharta is cooked, just like the way we do for dal tadka.

Whether you have charcoal smoked the eggplant or not, peel the charred skin when it cools. Chop finely or you can even mash it.

Smoking Eggplant (Optional Step)

In a kadai or frying pan or skillet, heat oil. Then add finely chopped onions and garlic.

Stirring often, sauté the onions till they soften and translucent. Don&#39;t brown them.

Add chopped green chillies and chopped tomatoes. Mix well.

Sauté the tomatoes stirring often, till the oil starts separating from the mixture. The tomatoes should become pulpy, soft and oil should release from the masala mixture. 

Now add the red chili powder. Stir and mix again.

Add the chopped or mashed eggplant. Mix thoroughly.

Season with salt. Stirring often saute for some 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium-low heat.

Finally stir in the coriander leaves or garnish bharta with them. Serve baingan bharta with phulka, roti or chapati. It goes well even with bread, toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or jeera rice.

You can also pair it with any North Indian meal or mains.

Making Baingan ka Bharta

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Baingan Bharta

Top 4 baingan bharta recipes from across the web

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Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Bharta)

Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta

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