Baingan Bharta is one of those dishes that brings pure comfort to the table—smoky roasted eggplant mashed and cooked with onions, tomatoes, and a blend of spices. While this version is the popular North Indian style, baingan bharta has its own unique spin across India. In Gujarat, it’s called ‘ringan no oro’ and often served with millet flatbread (bajri no rotlo). No matter where you’re enjoying it, this dish is all about that smoky, rich eggplant flavor. Perfect with roti, rotlo or rice, it’s a versatile, homestyle favorite!
💌 Why I Love This Recipe
- Minimal ingredients: Using just a few common ingredients, this recipe proves that simple can be delicious.
- Smoky flavour: The roasted eggplant brings a deep, smoky flavor that’s simply irresistible.
- Comfort Food: It’s warm, comforting, and feels like a hug in a bowl.
- Crowd-Pleaser: This dish has a way of winning over even the biggest eggplant skeptics.
- Healthy and Filling: Eggplant is nutritious, and this dish is both hearty and light.
💡 Did you know? Eggplants, also known as aubergines, are believed to have originated in India and were first cultivated over 4,000 years ago. From there, they spread across Asia and eventually made their way to the Middle East and Europe, where they became a staple in many cuisines around the world!
🛒 INGREDIENTS:
🌱ESSENTIALS for Baingan Bharta:
Eggplants: This is the star ingredient of the recipe and it’s important to use a thicker eggplant such as an Italian eggplant or a standard globe eggplant instead of the skinny ones which will collapse on the stove.
Roasting the eggplant: There are so many ways to roast eggplant, each giving a slightly different flavor and texture. You can air fry it, roast it in the oven, grill it, or even cook it in a pan. But if you want that unbeatable smoky flavor, the best way is over an open flame. Roasting eggplant directly on the flame gives it a rich, charred taste that infuses each bite with smokiness.
STEP-BY-STEP instructions: A Quick Recipe Snapshot
- Pierce the eggplant and add about 2 garlics and 1 green chilies in each eggplant
- Brush the eggplant with a light coating of oil
- Turn on the gas burner over medium to low heat and place a grill pan below it to help rest the eggplant
- Use tongs to hold the eggplant and keep turning it on all sides especially on the bottom which takes longer to cook and grill well until charred. Cook every side for 2 minutes each for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until a knife can easily pierce the thickest part with no resistance.
- Once done, use your hands to peel off the skin and remove the big ashy black bits (tiny bits are fine).
- Slice off the head of the eggplant and mash the flesh of the eggplant until very soft (use a knife or potato masher).
- Grill tomatoes in the same way and this should take 5 minutes or less until charred.
- Peel off the skin and fine chop or mash the charred tomatoes
- Add oil in a frying pot over medium to high heat. Fry the cumin seeds for a minute until aromatic.
- Add the onions and allow to cook for 2 minutes then add finely chopped ginger garlic and green chilies and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Cook until the onions are softened but not browned as you want to taste the chunkiness of the onions in the bharta since rest of the ingredients are all smooth in texture.
- Add in the spices – turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and season with salt and allow it to cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Once very aromatic, add the tomatoes and cook until they are well incorporated and start to release oil. Since we already grilled the tomatoes this should only take a couple minutes.
- Add in the mashed eggplant mixture and toss well to combine.
- Add water to make for gravy and balance out all flavours.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
How to make Traditional Baingan Bharta
Ingredients
For Eggplant:
- 4 large eggplants
- 6 cloves garlic, insert 2 in each eggplant
- 4 green chilies, insert 1 in each eggplant
- Any neutral flavoured oil to brush on eggplant
Bharta:
- 2 tbsp neutral flavoured oil of choice
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 medium red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, fine chopped
- 1 inch ginger paste
- 2 green chilies, fine chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 5 small tomatoes (or 3 big tomatoes), grilled similar to eggplant
- 1 tsp salt, or as per taste
Instructions
Step 1: Roast the Eggplants
- Wash the eggplants thoroughly and pat dry. Make a few deep slits in each eggplant and insert 1-2 garlic cloves and 1 green chili into each one.4 large eggplants, 6 cloves garlic, insert 2 in each eggplant, 4 green chilies, insert 1 in each eggplant, Any neutral flavoured oil to brush on eggplant
- Brush the eggplants with a thin layer of neutral oil, then place them directly over an open flame (or on a grill). Roast on medium heat, turning occasionally, until the skin is charred and the flesh is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Once roasted, remove the eggplants from the flame and allow them to cool slightly. Peel off the charred skin and fine chop the eggplant flesh until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Grill the Tomatoes
- Wash the tomatoes and place them directly over the open flame (or on a grill) until the skin is charred and blistered, about 5-10 minutes. Turn occasionally for even roasting.5 small tomatoes (or 3 big tomatoes), grilled similar to eggplant
- Remove the tomatoes from the flame and let them cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the charred skin and finely chop the tomatoes. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the Bharta Base
- In a pot or skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds until aromatic.2 tbsp neutral flavoured oil of choice, 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- Add finely diced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.3 medium red onion, finely diced
- Stir in chopped garlic, ginger paste, and chopped green chilies. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.4 cloves garlic, fine chopped, 1 inch ginger paste, 2 green chilies, fine chopped
Step 4: Add Spices and Tomatoes
- Add the spices; turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder and season with salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp salt, or as per taste
- Add the chopped grilled tomatoes and cook until they are well incorporated and start to release oil.
Step 5: Combine with Roasted Eggplant
- Add the diced eggplant to the pan. Mix well, ensuring all ingredients are evenly combined
- Add 1/2 cup water to make for gravy and cook for another 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld together. You want to taste and adjust for anything such as salt or gravy at this point.
Step 6: Serve
- Garnish with fresh coriander, and serve hot with roti, naan, rotlo or rice.
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