BAIGAN BHARTA | MASHED EGGPLANT CURRY
Baingan Bharta is popular Punjabi dish made of mashed eggplant cooked with onion, garlic, ginger, spices and tomatoes. It is generally served as the main course for lunch or dinner with some roti, paratha or naan. Traditionally, the eggplant or baingan as it is called in Hindi is grilled over some hot charcoal to give it the characteristic smoky flavour. However, modern kitchens lack charcoal based jiko or sigri (sigdi).
Ingredients
- 1-2 large eggplant approx.300g
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp chilli paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 cup tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ cup water
- 1 - 1½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped
- extra oil for rubbing on the eggplants
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Wash the eggplant and dry it on a kitchen towel.
- Trim the stem off. Cut the eggplant into half.
- Rub oil all over the eggplant halves.
- Lightly grease a baking tray.
- Put the eggplants on the tray with the cut side facing down.
- Bake the eggplants for 30 minutes or till they become soft.
- Flip the eggplant halves over and let it roast further for 5 minutes under a hot grill. This will slightly char the eggplants.
- The top will roast and become golden brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven. Let the eggplants cool down a bit.
- Remove the peel and discard. Mash the eggplants lightly.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Add fenugreek seeds. As they begin to sizzle, add mustard seeds and then the cumin seeds.
- Add asafoetida if using any.
- Add chopped onion and stir fry them till it is soft and cooked. We don't need the onion to become golden brown for this recipe.
- Add garlic and stir fry for a few seconds. The add the chilis and ginger paste. Stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add turmeric, red chilli and garam masala powders. Mix well.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Also add ¼ cup water.
- Cover the pan and let the tomatoes cook till they become soft. In between stir the mixture so that it does not stick to the pan.
- Add the mashed eggplant and mix well. Add remaining ¼ cup water.
- Cover the pan and let the bharta simmer on low heat for 7-10 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with parathas or rotis.
Notes
- Don't use eggplants that have too many seeds. They tend to taste more bitter.
- To get the authentic smoky flavor, put a coal piece in a small steel bowl. Pour a little ghee over it and light it. Place the smoking coal with the bowl on the curry. Shut the pan with the lid and leave it for 10 minutes. Remove the coal and bowl just before serving.
- Adjust spices according to your liking.
- Add some finely chopped fenugreek or kasuri methi if you like.