Baingan bharta is a North Indian side dish made with mashed, smoky, Indian eggplant, onion, tomato and spices. Best and easy side dish for phulkas/ roti and have your fiber quotient checked.
You can enjoy this traditional dish throughout the year though autumn and winter it will be extra comforting.
Check out my jeera rice recipe and paneer tikka masala in my website.
Made baingan bharta for the first time from my handwritten cookbook. But was sceptical how it would be. When I tried sutta kathirikkai chutney, though I liked it, the smoky smell was very dominating. I was thinking how it would be as side dish if I make it the same way as a side dish for roti/ phulka.
So I kept postponing. Now when I was thinking what to schedule for this month when I am in India, thought I can try this and see and post if its good. And to my surprise, it was amazing! Felt why I compared the sutta kathirikkai chutney when this has loads of masalas and onion, tomatoes. It was so rich in spite of the fact, it had nothing fatty. I had a lot without any guilt.
About Baingan Bharta
Baingan Bharta is a North Indian roasted eggplant curry made by charring whole eggplant over an open flame. Then, peel off the charred skin, wash and mash the eggplant, cook with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices. The fire roasting step gives the dish its signature smoky flavor. Popular across Punjab and North India, Baingan bharta is served with roti, naan or steamed rice and you can prepare it in 30 mins once the eggplant is ready.
Baingan Bharta Ingredients
For a complete list with measurements, refer to the recipe card at the end. Baingan Bharta requires a handful of ingredients:
- Brinjal - Eggplants (Baingan) - Large brinjals works best for fire roasting. If you use small ones, you can try using a mesh.
- Tomatoes - Choose red ripe tomatoes.
- Onions - Though only reddish onions are available during winter, I like the pink ones better.
- Ginger garlic paste - Adds flavor and helps with digestion.
- Spices & Powders: Cumin seeds, red chilli powder, Coriander, Turmeric, Garam Masala powders.
- Fresh Coriander Leaves (for garnish)
Baingan bharta is a staple in many Indian households for centuries, traditionally cooked over open flame or coal for that smoky flavour.
Step by step images
- To make baingan bharta, mash firstly, remove the stalk of the aubergine by cutting that part.
- Then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, apply oil all over the brinjal/ baingan and cook it over medium to low direct flame.
- I used my paddu/ paniyaram turner metal stick for this to hold it. You can use any skewer.
- Turn it often for even cooking. Make sure the heat is moderate so that it is cooked from inside.
- The inserted stick will turn loose indicating the brinjal is cooked through. Cool down and peel off the skin. It comes out very easily if its cooked properly and evenly.
6. Once peeled, give it a quick wash to eliminate the skin. Mash it/ tear it roughly and grind it in a mixer. Smooth or rough its up to you, but I did smoothly.
7. Heat a kadai with oil and temper with jeera. Add finely chopped onion, fry till transparent. Spoon in ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
8. Add finely chopped tomatoes, salt, ½ teaspoon of garam masala, red chilli powder and turmeric. Fry till everything becomes mushy.
9. Add the ground aubergine and ¾ cup to 1 cup water and mix well. Let it boil in low flame for 5 minutes. Stir in between for even cooking.
Lastly heat 2 teaspoon of oil, switch off the flame, add garam masala immediately and stir it. Pour it to the gravy and mix well. Add coriander leaves and mix well.
While serving baingan bharta, you can top with chopped onions and more coriander leaves, with a squirt of lemon. Best with phulka, roti, bhajra bhakri etc.
Storage
Baingan bharta tastes best when had fresh but leftovers can be refrigerated for couple of days. But do not leave over counter top for long time before storing.
Top tips
- Make sure to roast the eggplant well, if we don't cooked well, there will be a bitter taste.
- A well roasted & cooked eggplant will be easy for peeling. The skin comes off effortlessly.
- Make sure to remove all the charred skin completely, otherwise it will give a burnt smell rather than smoky. Also it can give a bitter taste.
Check out my Corn tomato bharta and Bharwan baingan recipe.
Recipe card
Baingan Bharta recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Baingan Eggplant
- 2 Onion
- 3 Tomato
- 2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon Red chilli powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 0.25 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves Chopped
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- Salt
To temper
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
Instructions
- Wash firstly, remove the stalk of the aubergine by cutting that part.
- Then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, apply oil all over the brinjal/ baingan and cook it over medium to low direct flame.
- I used my paddu/ paniyaram turner metal stick for this to hold it. You can use any skewer.
- Turn it often for even cooking. Make sure the heat is moderate so that it is cooked from inside.
- The inserted stick will turn loose indicating the brinjal is cooked through. Cool down and peel off the skin. It comes out very easily if its cooked properly and evenly.
- Once peeled, give it a quick wash to eliminate the skin.
- Mash it/ tear it roughly and grind it in a mixer. Smooth or rough it's up to you, but I did smoothly.
- Then heat a kadai with oil and temper with cumin.
- After that add finely chopped onion, fry till transparent.
- Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
- After that, add finely chopped tomatoes, salt, ½ teaspoon of garam masala, red chilli powder and turmeric.
- Fry till everything becomes mushy.
- Add the ground baingan and ¾ cup to 1 cup water, mix well.
- Let it boil in low flame for 5 minutes. Stir in between for even cooking.
- Lastly heat 2 teaspoon of oil, switch off the flame, add garam masala immediately and stir it.
- Pour it to the gravy and mix well. Add coriander leaves lastly and mix well.
Video
Notes
- Cooking the aubergine in moderate heat is very important. If the brinjal is uncooked, then it may taste bitter.
- You have to add enough tomatoes too, otherwise bitter gravy.
brindhasridhar says
Superb....
AparnaRajeshkumar says
my all time favorite raks,the aroma is all !
Padmini Raghuram says
Excellent dish
Veena Theagarajan says
this my mum specialty I love it with loads of onion in it.. Since my 1st son is not a big fan of onions I don't do it that often.. u r tempting more
meeta says
Ur bharta looks tempting. .. love it in winter....made almost twice in a week....next time u can try with only green part of onion instead of white onion...it will add extra freshness to bharta....I love it with juvar roti made on clay tawa....
Shama Nagarajan says
yummy preparation
Anonymous says
Perfect side dish with roti, Naan.. Looks delicious
Thava says
If you are allergic to smoky smell you can do it microwave and do the same procedure which Raji has mentioned.. It tastes the same & gr8
Sireesha Puppala says
this looks amazingly flavourful raks!
divya says
Looks good....in gujarati version v dnt add garam masala....n I think ur eggplant is nt properly cooked....its shud b cooked a little more n v jst hv to mash it nt grind it......tht wud b healtheir....I wanted to thank u a liads for ur ellai vadam recipe n ' Encouragement' it was first tim for me but hv already bcom a family favourite.....thanks
pavithra uk says
lovely..!!! mouthwatering...
Vanamala Hebbar says
Nice dish
Shweta Arora says
Looks wonderful, one of my family favorites. Love your space. Nice and huge collection of recipes 🙂
suhaina aji says
WOW..RAJI..i AM DROOLING HERE LOOKING AT THIS BEAUTIFUL DISH..I WANT SOME ROTI NOW,...SUPPPERR
Niru mama says
I do not have a flame stove mine is electric how to do on it
Raks anand says
You can try microwaving. Or baking.
SOWMYA SUGUMARAN says
I have tried it in an electric stove. Just keep it on top of grill.