Baingan Bharta | Indian eggplant recipe

Baingan bharta is a vegan eggplant recipe that literally translates to Eggplant mash. While there are many regional versions of this dish, this is a recipe for restaurant style baingan bharta.

Eggplant is one of those veggies that is not a crowd favourite and has it’s fair share of haters! However, even some eggplant haters seem to like it when it’s roasted into a smoky, sweet mash. There are many versions of such fire roasted eggplant dishes across the world like baba ganoush and mutabbal from the Middle east, baingan choka from Bihar and sutta badanekai gojju from Karnataka. Something magical happens when eggplants are fire roasted. The smoky flavour and the sweet silky eggplant meat is something truly special!

Baingan bharta is a North Indian dish and is one of my favourite things to make and eat. It is smoky, sweet and spicy, so good! Also very easy to put together. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you liked it!

Ingredients

• Bigger purple eggplants (American eggplants) work well in this recipe. Choose eggplants that don’t have too many seeds. In my experience, the ones that feel lighter have lesser seeds.
• I use red onions in this recipe but any variety of onions will work.
• I like to use unrefined mustard oil in this recipe but any kind of cooking oil will work just fine!
• Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves and is available in Indian grocery stores. They can be found near spices.
• Indian stores carry different varieties of red chilli powders of varying spice levels. Kashmiri red chilli powder is a milder Indian chilli with a bright red color and works well in this recipe. Cayenne and paprika can be used too!

Tips

• Roasting eggplants over open fire/coal gives the best smoky results.
• Onions and garlic need to be sautéed till their raw smell goes away and they turn more fragrant.
• Tomatoes too need to be cooked well for 7-10 minutes. Doing this enhances the overall flavour.
• Do not skip adding the herbs, adds a lot of freshness!
• Cooking is all about balancing flavours. The eggplants are supposed to be sweet when roasted, if they are not, add a teaspoon of jaggery/sugar to balance the flavours.

Serving and storage

Serve baingan bharta hot/warm with rice or roti. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheated before serving.

Baingan Bharta | Indian eggplant recipe

Shwetha

Restaurant style baingan bharta made with smoky eggplants, aromatics, herbs and spices.

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Oven time 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

• US measuring cups used. 1 cup – 240ml

Ingredients

  

• 2 big eggplant/brinjal/aubergine yields 2 cups of eggplant mash
• 1 cup red onions chopped (1 medium onion)
• 1½ cups tomato chopped (3 medium tomatoes)
• ¼ cup fresh/frozen peas
• ¼ cup cilantro/coriander leaves chopped
• 1 tsp ginger grated ( about 1 inch)
• 1 tsp garlic crushed (3 big cloves)
• 2 tbsp oil I like using mustard oil in this recipe
• 1 tsp jaggery optional, or to taste
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves

Spices

• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder adjust to taste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp garam masala

Instructions

 

• Roast eggplant until a knife can easily go through. This can be done directly over fire on a gas range or over coal. Keep turning the eggplant so that the outer skin gets charred all over and the inside cooks evenly.

  IN OVEN – Turn the oven on broil at 450F. Pierce the eggplant in a few places using a fork/knife. Lightly coat with oil. Place eggplants on a baking sheet on the top rack for 30 minutes or until the inside is cooked well and the skin has blistered.
• Allow the eggplants to cool down until it's easy to handle them. Peel the skins off and discard. Finely mince the eggplants using a knife.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add in the cumin seeds and let it crackle. Take care not to burn them.
• Add in finely chopped green chilli and stir for 30 seconds. Next, add the finely chopped red onions. After a minute, add in the ginger and garlic and stir until the onions turn translucent.
• Add in turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir for a minute.
• Next, add the chopped tomatoes and let them cook until mushy. Stir in between as needed. If tomatoes are sticking to the pan, you can deglaze with a little water. Cook tomatoes well for 7-10 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
• Add in fresh/frozen peas, minced eggplant and season with salt.
• At this stage add ¼ cup water if needed. Cook for 3 minutes stirring often.
• Taste test and adjust seasonings. Add jaggery for sweetness if eggplants aren't sweet enough.
• Add in chopped cilantro/coriander leaves, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves). Mix everything in and turn off the heat.
• Serve hot/warm with rice or roti.

Video

Notes

• American eggplants(larger purple eggplants) work well in this recipe. The ones that feel lighter in your hand have lesser seeds, pick those. 
• Roasting eggplants directly over coal/fire gives the best smoky flavor but the next best thing is to broil eggplants in an oven. Broiling on top rack creates some blisters and gives it a smoky flavour. 

Keyword baingan bharta, vegan eggplant recipe