BAIngan Bharta – Roasted eggplant mash

Baingan bharta is a popular Indian curry made by roasting the eggplant till it is charred well and cooked perfectly from inside. The flesh of the smoky eggplant is mashed and then cooked with spices to make a delicious mash that tastes heavenly when served with roti and boondi raita. Baingan Bharta is spicy, tangy with a hint of sweetness and full of smoky flavour which is the highlight.

Ingredients

1 – Big purple aubergine

6 – Garlic cloves

1 – green chilly

1 tsp – Jeera

1 – Onion, medium sized, finely chopped

1 – Tomato, medium sized, finely chopped

1 Tbsp – Ginger garlic paste , homemade

1 tsp – Turmeric

1 tsp – Red chilly powder

1 tsp – Roasted jeera powder

1 tsp – Coriander powder

1 Tbsp – Fresh cream

1 tsp – Kasuri methi

salt to taste

1 tsp – Sugar

1 Tbsp – Lemon juice

2 Tbsp – Cooking oil

Coriander leaves to garnish

Method

Wash and wipe the eggplant.

Make six cuts around the eggplants and insert the garlic cloves and green chillies in them.

Smear a thin layer of oil on the eggplant and place it on a grill and put it on high flame. or you can directly place it on the flame.

After every couple of minutes turn the eggplant so it roast evenly all over.

Once the eggplant it roasted well and the skin is completely charred and starts to peel, take it off the flame.

Let it cool on a plate.

Once it is cooled, peel off the burnt skin. Don’t peel it off completely. Leave a bit of the charred skin as it will increase the smoky flavour of the bharta.

Take out the flesh into a bowl and mask it well using a fork. Do not worry about mashing the garlic and chillies.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil and add jeera to it.

Once the jeera crackles, add ginger garlic paste and onions to it.

Once the onions turn translucent, add turmeric, red chilly powder, jeera powder, coriander powder and give it a good mix.

Add tomatoes, salt and sauté it for a minute. Cover it and cook till the oil seperates and tomatoes are soft.

Mash the tomatoes well. Add mashed eggplant and give it a good mix.

Check for salt and add cream and sugar and cook for a couple of minutes with the lid on.

Once the oil separates , add coriander leaves and mix it. Serve it hot with any bread of your choice and boondi raita.

Also do try Badane kaayi Bajji, which is a different version of the smoky eggplant preparation which is also a favourite of mine.