Fire Roasted Baingan bharta a delicious eggplant curry with smoky flavour. Easy to make vegetarian /vegan recipe. It makes a perfect dinner that gets ready in under 30 minute.
Baingan Bharta, translated to mashed eggplant, is made from smoking the eggplant (aubergine) over an open fire. It chars the skin outside and cooks the eggplant inside. The pulp is then curried with onion, tomatoes and chillies along with the spices.
The best part is that this recipe is not too heavy on spices. There are very basic spices used so that they don’t overpower the smoky flavour of eggplant.
Eggplant can be made in so many ways but bharta is my most favourite. Its quick, perfect for weeknight meal.
Ingredients For Baingan Bharta
- Eggplant
- Onion
- Tomato
- Green Chili
- Garlic Cloves
- Corriander/cilantro leaves
Spices:
- Cumin seeds
- Coriander powder
- Chili powder
- Turmeric Powder
- Garam Masala
WHAT TYPE OF EGG PLANT TO USE FOR BHARTA?
There are many types of Eggplant but this recipe works best with globe eggplant also known as Italian or American eggplant. If large eggplant is unavailable, you can also use small ones, it will just take bit longer to smoke them.
How to Make The Best Baingan Bharta
The most important thing to get that real taste of Banigan bharta is to roast the eggplant on direct fire. Some recipes call for roasting the egg plant in an oven, which doesn’t give authentic smoky flavour.
I put some slits in the eggplant. To make it extra flavorful I make few slits in the eggplant with a knife and then tuck in the garlic cloves before roasting. The roasted garlic adds a lot of flavor.
I also smoke tomato and green chilli, it really gives a beautiful flavour.
Then I remove charred skin from eggplant and chop it by running knife through it. I also chop roasted garlic, tomato and green chilli.
The chopped eggplant is the added to gravy base made from sauteed onions and spices including red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
HOW TO SERVE BAINGAN BHARTA
A simple dish like bharta needs no elaborate serving. It goes best with roti or paratha. You can have Mint Chutney and some onion and cucumbers salad on side.
OTHER VEGETARIAN RECIPES TO TRY
Dum Aloo
Punjabi Kadhi Pakora
Chana Masala
Palak Paneer
Baingan Bharta
Ingredients
- 1 large EggPlant
- 1 large Tomato
- 1 Green Chilli
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 4 tbsp Oil
- Coriander/Cilantro for Garnish
Instructions
- Make vertical slits on eggplant. Put peeled garlic cloves in slits and brush eggplant with oil.
- Roast the eggplant on open fire by rotating it around, so it is charred all over. Put the eggplant in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes. The steam will continue cooking the eggplant and soften it, making it easier to peel.
- Roast tomato and green chilli too.
- Peel the charred skin off the eggplant. Using knife chop the eggplant, tomato, garlic and green chili.
- In a pan heat oil and sautee onions. Add all spices except garam masala. Add a dash of water to prevent spices from sticking to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add chopped eggplant, tomato and chilli. Mix it and cook for 2 minutes. Add some corriander/cilantro and garam masala.
- Serve with roti or paratha.
