Baingan Bharta: Quick Eggplant Recipe

Try this easy-to-make smoked mashed eggplant preparation that is very popular in Indian cuisine. It is one of my favourite and easiest dishes to prepare. Baingan Bharta is traditionally made from big eggplants that have been grilled over a coal fire or stoves and mashed. This mashed pulp is cooked with chilli peppers, tomatoes, onions, aromatics and some herbs. This is a simple yet popular dish that is made across India and it is way too easy to make. It pairs really well with hot rotis and even as a side meal with toasted bread.

Baingan Bharta a.k.a Mashed Eggplant

Baingan Bharta or mashed eggplant has a variation in many Turkish, Italian and Middle Eastern cuisines. But the famous eggplant dishes of modern Indian cooking date back to medieval times when eggplants or brinjals were roasted over coal and made into this delicious preparation or sabzi called Baingan Bharta.

Some relate it to the Middle Eastern Lebanese dish Baba Ganoush. I’d say the idea is similar but the preparation differs. The spices, aromatics and seasonings used are completely different. Within India, this dish takes on different variations depending on the region like North or West or South. Irrespective of how you prepare this dish, I am simply obsessed with the simplicity and explosion of flavour this one dish can impart.

How to make authentic Baingan Bharta

This recipe involves simple ingredients available in the vicinity of your kitchen and it is the perfect dish to make when you are feeling like making a chill dish OR if you have tons of eggplants in your refrigerator. Either way, this dish is that rainy day lover that needs all your attention and some of your smooth lovin’. Okay, I will stop this food porn and jump right into the recipe.

To Baingan or not to Baingan

Choosing the right Eggplant is key. In India, the variety of eggplants is many and each has its own destiny and purpose. The ones that we will choose are the big fat juicy ones. Look for glossy rich purple-coloured skin that has little to no dimples and there should be no bruises. They should be firm and heavy when you weigh them. The reason we are going with these eggplants is a) they have more flesh and b) easy to roast over a fire or air fry.

Here’s a step-by-step recipe to cook Baingan Bharta:

Adding the smokey element

1. Start by broiling the eggplant over the fire. Ideally, it should be roasted over a fire built using coals or woodfire but you can use a stovetop. The broiling is what gives the bharta an unexplained flavour.
2. If you’ve got the time and the barbecuing tools, do try grilling it over a coal fire. If you’re using a gas stove, keep rotating it till all sides are evenly roasted. This could take up to 12 minutes.
3. You can check doneness by pressing the eggplant with a spoon and if it easily falls in, it’s ready.

Steps to follow:

1. Oil the eggplant with a brush and then roast it on a gas stove. Or simply oil it, cover it in an aluminium foil and roast in the oven/air fryer at 220C until it becomes soft, after about 15-20 minutes.

2. Place the eggplant in an aluminium foil or air-tight container for 10-15 mins. The warmth should make it easier to peel it easily.

3. Peel the skin of the eggplant and mash it with a fork. Once the eggplant is peeled and ready, keep it aside.

Combining the Baingan and the Bharta

1. Heat a pan with oil and sauté some ginger garlic paste until the raw smell of garlic and ginger goes away.

2. Add chilli peppers and onions. Sauté until green chillies are fragrant and onions turn translucent.

3. Add tomatoes and salt. Salt is important to cook the tomatoes quickly.

4. Add the red chilli powder to the pan and combine until it coats the ingredients in the pan completely.

5. Add the mashed/chopped eggplant to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Mix until well combined.

6. Add the Garam Masala before taking the pan off the heat. Garam Masala should not be cooked for long as it loses its flavours.

7. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips to remember

• When roasting over the fire, the eggplant tends to release its juices. So avoid scoring or cutting them in half. You’ll lose the juices and their flavours.
• Do not leave any of the roasted skin. Make sure to remove the skin of the eggplant completely. We don’t want the bharta to get bitter.

That’s all there is to this delicious dish. Try this and do let me know on my social media platforms how you liked it. I’d love to get your feedback 🙂

Take a look at some other recipes that you might like:

• Kaddu Ki Sabzi: Easy North Indian Pumpkin Recipe

• Bajra Roti Recipe – Soft, Gluten-Free Indian Bread

• Lahsun Chutney – Rajasthani Style Garlic Chutney