Baigan ka bharta - Roasted eggplant

How to roast eggplant

Baigan ka bharta (Hindi) is basically a North Indian recipe but is made everywhere now. I like this way of cooking eggplant because I do not like to eat eggplant skin.

It is made from roasted eggplant (also called as brinjal, baingan / baigan (hindi), vangi(marathi), badnekai(Kannada), Katrikai(Tamil).

Baingan ka bharta - vangyache bharit

Mother always made Baingan bharta with curd (yogurt), which I love.

There is also another recipe from Maharashtra which is called 'chinch gulache vangyache bharit' in marathi. Try those recipes too.

You will like them if you like brinjal / eggplant. This is a easy eggplant recipe and it is served with breads like chapati, roti, nan, bhakri (jowar or bajra roti).

Roasted eggplant with skin

For this recipe we use Roasted eggplant. Find here how to roast eggplant on the stove top.

After the eggplant is roasted, remove skin from the roasted eggplant and mash the flesh with a potato masher or with a fork.

Use this mashed eggplant for making the baigan bharta recipe given below.

How to make baingan ka bharta

Ingredients for baingan ka bharta for 2-3 servings

purple eggplant - brinjal - baingan - vangi

Onion - Pyaj - Kanda

Roasted and mashed eggplant - 1 cup
Finely chopped onion - 1/2 cup
Ripe tomato, chopped - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp or according to taste
Fresh coriander leaves - 1 tbsp chopped finely.
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp or according to taste

Optional ingredients

Garlic - 1/2 tsp paste or chopped finely.
Ginger - 1/2 tsp paste or chopped finely
Sugar or jaggary - a pinch.
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp, according to taste

Ingredients for tempering:

Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp
Green/red chili - 1 or 2 slit
Hing (asafetida) 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5-6

Step by step instructions for making baigan ka bharta

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
When they stop spluttering, add split green/red chili, fry for a few seconds.
Add hing, curry leaves. Add onion fry till onion turn transparent.
Add garlic and fry for a few seconds.
Add chopped tomatoes and fry till oil separates.
Add the mashed eggplant, salt. Mix well and Take off fire.

Serve with nan, paratha, chapatti or bhakri (jowar / sorghum flat bread).

This is served hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy

Tips and variations

You may add dry red chili instead of green chili.
You need not fry too long after adding the mashed eggplant as it is already cooked. It is just to mix the flavors which won't take long.
You can store this bharta in the fridge. It will keep for 2-3 days.