🔥 Smoky. Spicy. Comforting.
My take on Baingan Bharta—a North Indian classic where roasted eggplant gets mashed and simmered with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and warm spices. The result? A rich, smoky dish perfect with hot rotis or rice. 🌿
✨ Pro tip: Add a touch of ghee-smoked charcoal at the end for that restaurant-level depth.🍆 Save this for your next weeknight dinner or nostalgic desi food craving.
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 2
Ingredients
- For grilling:
- 1 large eggplant (baingan) – about 1.25 lbs
- 5 large garlic cloves
- 1 green chili
- 1 teaspoon oil (vegetable or any oil)
- For the bharta
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup onions diced fine (1 medium)
- 6 cloves garlic minced fine
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced fine
- 1 to 2 green chilies (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup diced tomatoes (note: you can also roast your tomatoes and peel the skin off, before chopping it)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- Juice from 1 lime for garnish
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish (about 2 tablespoons chopped)
Method:
- Grill the Eggplant: Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Brush with the oil. Create a couple of slits and insert the garlic and green chili deep into the slits. Using a pair of tongs, roast the eggplant directly over an open flame on either a charcoal grill or the stove top, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and the inside is soft (fork can go through easily). (You can also use the oven: pre-heat the oven and roast at 460°F for 15-20 minutes, turning it until the skin is charred and inside is soft)
- Turn off the heat and use the tongs to transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Cover with a plate or foil to steam for 5 minutes. Use your hands to peel off the charred skin. It’s okay if tiny little black specks of the skin remain.
- Slice off the head of the peeled eggplant. Using a spatula, or potato masher, mash the flesh of the eggplant, as if you were mashing potatoes.
- Optional: Grill the tomatoes before chopping. You can also grill or roast the tomatoes until the skin is charred. Then peel the skin and dice it. If not grilling it, just dice and set aside.
- Sauté the Base:
- Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and green chilies, and sauté until onions turn golden.
- Stir in ginger, garlic and green chilies, and cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and oil begins to separate.
- Add the mashed eggplant and mix well with the masala.
- Cook on medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala towards the end.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro and lime juice.
- Serve hot with roti, naan, or steamed rice.
- ### Tips & Variations
- For extra smokiness, place a piece of hot charcoal in a bowl. Once the bharta is cooked, set the bowl in the center of the bharta. Drizzle with a little ghee and cover the pan for 2 minutes.
- Optionally, add green peas for variation.
- Pick eggplants that have a smooth and glossy skin as it has fewer seeds