Bharta is a North Indian set of dishes where the ingredients are mashed either before or after preparing the dish. Baingan Bharta is one of the variant of Bhartas made of Baingan or Eggplant. Eggplant is one of ours. Everyone took Eggplant from Indians – Turks, Italians, Persians and everyone else.
The eggplant dishes that we eat today – including Baingan Bharta – were prepared and documented since Medieval period. Bhartas are mild in its spicing but are very flavourful. Here’s my recipe of Baingan Bharta which can be served with hot rotis, batis, or even with dal rice. Hope you would like it.
| Serves: | 4 |
| Preparation Time: | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time: | 30-35 minutes |
Ingredients:
- Baingan (Eggplant) Big – 2
- Tomatoes Big – 2
- Onion Small – 1
- Garlic cloves – 4-5
- Green Chilly Chopped – 1-2
- Mustard Oil / Cooking Oil – 4-5 tbsp
- Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
- Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
- Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander Powder – 1/2 tsp
- Dried Red Chilly – 2
- Hing (Asafoetida) – Pinch
- Coriander Leaves Chopped – Handful
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Rinse Eggplant and Tomatoes thoroughly with water and pat them dry. Brush them with mustard oil and add slits with knife or fork. Roast eggplants and tomatoes on gas flame for about 10-15 minutes. Ensure to keep rotating the eggplants and tomatoes occasionally. To check for the doneness of the eggplant and tomatoes, insert and knife and it should easily pass through.
- Keep aside and let them cool. Once cooled, peel the eggplant and tomatoes and mash them together either with fork or with a masher.
- Add remaining mustard oil in a pan and once the oil is heated add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds starts to splutter, add chopped garlic, hing (asafoetida), dry red chillies and sauté until the raw smell of garlic goes off.
- Now add the chopped onion and green chillies and sauté till the onions become translucent. Do not brown the onions. Turn the flame to low and add turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilly powder.
- Cook the spices for few seconds and add the mashed eggplant and tomatoes. Add salt and mix well. Cook on medium low flame for 4-5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, bati or rice.
Tips: Using mustard oil is optional. You can use any cooking oil. You can bake the eggplant and tomatoes in oven as well, but it is preferred to cook the eggplant and tomatoes on direct flame to get the traditional smoky flavour.
