A delicious North Indian curry; Baingan Bharta is a smokey, jammy mix of flame roasted eggplants, aromatics and Indian spices.
This pairs wonderfully with all kinds of flatbreads and rice. It is spicy, flavorful and full of taste!
Indian mains are almost always made for weeknight meals or weekend lunch in our house. With the options being unlimited, we often make very different curries each week. However, there are some favorites that appear again and again on the menu.
Paneer Jalfrezi, Potato Edamame Curry, Chole and Black Eyed Peas are the ones that we repeat on the menu. And Baingan Bharta is definitely one of the most loved recipe in the house.
Most of these curries are quite easy to put together and they are also great to make ahead of time. Plus, easy to scale and serve with different breads and rice; these curries are amazing to include on the weekly menu.
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What is Baingan Bharta
Technically; Baingan means eggplant in Hindi and Bharta means to mash. So overall, Baingan Bharta means eggplant mash. But the recipe is much more than just mashed eggplants.
Baingan Bharta is a smokey North Indian sabzi made with globe eggplants, aromatics, spices and tempering. Together, these make a flavorful mix. The smokey flavor of the curry comes from roasting globe eggplants on an open flame. This signature flavor makes baingan bharta special and different from the regular vegetables.
Baingan Bharta is a popular dish on Indian restaurant menus, found on many event menus or just part of weeknight or weekend meals at home. This dish is definitely on the loved one for those who enjoy eggplants but also enjoyed by those who claim to be eggplant haters. The prime reason is that the eggplant does shine in the recipe but is not overpowering thanks to the spices that go into the recipe.
Traditionally we enjoy Baingan Bharta with Bajri Rotlas, green garlic chutney, steamed rice, crushed jaggery and ghee and urad dal. It is a commonly made meal on Saturdays in Gujarati families.
Why this recipe works
- Baingan Bharta is an easy to make Indian main dish.
- This one pairs well with rotis, parathas, millet rotla etc.
- It uses eggplant and only needs a handful of other ingredients.
- We can easily make this ahead of time as part of meal prep.
- The recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- We can easily make this Vegan with one simple swap.
- This is definitely a recipe to convert eggplant haters to lovers!
- It is easy to scale the recipe up or down.
- We can adjust the spice to make it great for kids.
- This is a great recipe to make year round; but especially great during the winter months.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Eggplant: The key ingredient in the recipe is eggplant. Large eggplants work the best for the recipe. Pick big ones as they have more flesh. Globe, Italian or Indian eggplants work best. Thin Asian eggplants disintegrate on the stove.
- Aromatics: Onions and peppers are perfect for the base of the bharta. Pink, yellow or white onions work well. And any colored pepper will work. Moreover, I add some scallions for taste and flavor as well.
- Garlic, Ginger, Chili: These make the gravy super amazing. While regular garlic is great, if green garlic is available; it is the best. Moreover, fresh ginger, garlic and green chili make the gravy flavorful. Try and chop these right before adding to retain freshness. Processed paste works but pieces are better for texture.
- Tomatoes: Pick a couple of fresh red tomatoes for the bharta. Again, it is okay to purée it but diced tomatoes work better for texture. However, it is easy to use diced tomatoes from the can for the recipe too.
- Oil: Oil is the preferred fat in the recipe. This is more common compared to making it in ghee. However, use ghee if you like.
- Tempering Ingredients: I like to temper the baingan bharta with mustard seeds, asafetida, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Try and add them all for best flavor.
- Spices: The regular Indian spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and cumin coriander powder are added to the recipe. These are perfect to season the baingan bharta.
- Yogurt: An ingredient to make the bharta slightly tangy and more flowy, yogurt is perfect. Use regular yogurt that we whip up before adding. This reduces the chance of it splitting.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Wash and dry the eggplant. Make 2-3 vertical cuts in the body and apply a thin layer of oil on it.
2- Roast the eggplant directly on medium flame, rotating it continuously till it is charred from all sides. This will take about 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant.
Pro Tip: This can also be done on a charcoal grill or gas grill. An oven works great for this too.
3- Once completely charred, place the eggplant on a plate. Let it cool just enough to handle by hand.
4- While it is still hot, remove all the charred skin, cut off the top green portion and mash the eggplant. If there are large seeds in it, remove them too.
5- In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida.
6- Once the seeds pop, add the curry leaves, green chili, garlic and ginger. Sauté till the raw flavor of garlic vanishes.
7- Next add onions and peppers
8- Cook the peppers and onions till soft.
9- Then put the chopped tomatoes and let them cook till mushy.
10- Then add whipped yogurt and whisk well till it completely mixes in. The oil tends to start separating at this point.
11- Next add the carrots and mashed eggplant. Mix well.
12- Add garam masala, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and mix well. Add salt and taste if more is required.
13- Cook covered till the vegetables are soft.
14- Turn down the flame, and add lime juice and mix well. Top with cilantro and green onion. Serve hot with millet flatbreads.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Charring the eggplant: The most important step of the recipe is charring the eggplant. Coat well with oil and do not forget the slits. Then patiently roast the eggplant on all sides on an open flame. Make sure every section chars, the eggplant looks wrinkly and is soft through.
- Removing the skin of the eggplant: After charring, remove the eggplant and transfer to a plate. Let it rest for few minutes to steam the eggplant through. Then start peeling with a pair of tongs while warm. As the eggplant cools, the skin tends to stick to the flesh.
- Add chopped aromatics: The recipe calls for chopped onions, pepper, ginger, garlic, chili and tomatoes. While we can use tomato purée or chili garlic ginger paste, I would not recommend it. Adding mashed ingredients makes the bharta smooth and not with texture as we would like it to be.
- Adding more vegetables: While the classic version has only eggplant with seasonings, it is common to make baingan bharta with a variety of vegetables. Diced carrots, chopped spinach, green peas and even chopped kale is perfect to add in. This works especially for those who do not like just eggplant.
- Substituting Eggplant: The same method works for squashes too. Bottle gourd or butternut squash are common to make into bharta.
- Adding more smokey flavor: If you are using the oven or air fryer to cook the eggplant, use this Dhungar Method. Make the bharta and transfer to a heat proof bowl. Place a small steel bowl on it. Then, heat up a piece of coal on an open flame till red hot. Place it in the bowl, add a teaspoon of ghee or oil on it and cover the bowl. Let the smoke mix into the bharta to get the perfect smokey flavor.
Picking the right Eggplant
The recipe depends largely on how the eggplant is. We use large dark purple eggplants for the bharta. Italian, Globe or Indian eggplants work the best. Here are some pointers to get it right:
- Pick large purple eggplants that have no indentations and have a shiny purple coat.
- If the eggplants feels lighter for the size, it should be good. This is because heavy eggplants often have a lot of ripe large seeds that are almost inedible.
- Also look at the stem. It should be bright green and free of mold or mushiness. Brown or dry stems mean the eggplants were picked long ago.
- Last, look for any holes in the eggplant. Presence of holes may indicate a worm has entered the eggplant.
With these tips, it should be easy to get a good eggplant to make the bharta.
Roasting the Eggplant
Roasting eggplants is the next essential step in the making of baingan bharta. There are many ways to roast the eggplant. Pick the method that works best for you.
- On an open flame: If you would like to roast the eggplant on the stove, just make slits on the eggplant, apply oil and roast it. I like to place some foil on the burner to avoid the juices from creating a mess on the stove.
- In the oven: This is an easy way to roast the eggplant while preparing other ingredients on the side. To do so, make the slits and apply oil on the eggplant. Heat the oven to 450 F and place the eggplant in a tray in the oven. Grill for 20 minutes, turn over and grill for another 20 minutes. Then set the oven to broil for the last 5 minutes.
- Using an Air Fryer: The same method as the oven works for the air fryer as well. Preheat the air fryer to 400 F and place an eggplant with slits and coated with oil. If it is too large, halve the eggplant and coat the cut side too. Then air fry/bake for 40-45 minutes.
- On an outdoor grill: An outdoor gas or charcoal grill is my favorite way to grill the eggplant. The process remains the same as the open flame but if a charcoal grill is used, the eggplant turns out smoky and flavorful. A gas grill heated to medium high works well too. It takes about 10-12 minutes and more than one eggplant can be made at once!
Recipe FAQs
The name Baingan Bharta literally means Eggplant Mash in English. And this is the most commonly used translation for the dish as well
Yes for sure. The method is similar but the smokiness will be absent for the end result. If it is so, use this Dhungar Method.
Yes certainly. The classic recipe uses only eggplant with aromatics, tempering and spices. However, it is easy to add carrots, some potatoes, tuvar beans, spinach or green peas to the recipe.
Liquid smoke is easy to find in a lot of stores in small bottles. These are widely used in bbq and American recipes. However, this smoke does not really work too well with Indian recipes. The traditional Dhungar Method is much better.
Yes indeed. Simply use non-dairy yogurt for the recipe. Moreover, it is okay to skip it completely too. The recipe is otherwise completely Vegan.
Yes the bharta can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen. The taste deepens with time and so I like to make it at least an hour or two before serving. Before serving, just heat the bharta in a pan and top it with cilantro and green onions.
More Eggplant Recipes
Here are some more delicious Eggplant recipes to enjoy.
More Delicious Indian Curries to try
Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Baingan Bharta
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant (large)
- ½ cup Onion (diced)
- ½ cup Green Pepper (diced)
- ½ cup Carrot (diced)
- 5-6 cloves Garlic (minced)
- ½ inch Ginger (minced)
- ½ cup Tomato (diced)
- 4-5 stalks Onion greens (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida
- 3-4 Curry Leaves
- 1 Green Chili (minced)
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander seed powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 3 tablespoon Yogurt
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
- 2-3 stalks Cilantro
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eggplant. Make 2-3 vertical cuts in the body and apply a thin layer of oil on it.1 Eggplant
- Roast the eggplant directly on medium flame, rotating it continuously till it is charred from all sides. This will take about 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant. This can also be done on a charcoal grill or gas grill. An oven works great for this too.
- Once completely charred, place the eggplant on a plate. Let it cool just enough to handle by hand.
- While it is still hot, remove all the charred skin, cut off the top green portion and mash the eggplant. If there are large seeds in it, remove them too.
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida.¼ teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ⅛ teaspoon Asafetida, 2 tablespoon Oil, ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- Once the seeds pop, add the aromatics. Sauté till the raw flavor vanishes.5-6 cloves Garlic, ½ inch Ginger, 3-4 Curry Leaves, 1 Green Chili
- Next add onions and peppers and cook till they soft.½ cup Onion, ½ cup Green Pepper
- Put the chopped tomatoes in next and let them cook till mushy.½ cup Tomato
- Then add yogurt and whisk well till it completely mixes in.3 tablespoon Yogurt
- Next add the carrots and mashed eggplant. Mix well.½ cup Carrot
- Add the powdered spices and mix well. Add salt and taste if more is required.½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder, ½ teaspoon Coriander seed powder, 1 teaspoon Garam Masala, ¾ teaspoon Salt
- Cook till the vegetables are soft.
- Turn down the flame, and add lime juice.1 teaspoon Lime Juice
- Top with cilantro and green onion. Serve hot with millet flatbreads.4-5 stalks Onion greens, 2-3 stalks Cilantro
Notes
- Charring the eggplant: The most important step of the recipe is charring the eggplant. Coat well with oil and do not forget the slits. Then patiently roast the eggplant on all sides on an open flame. Make sure every section chars, the eggplant looks wrinkly and is soft through.
- Removing the skin of the eggplant: After charring, remove the eggplant and transfer to a plate. Let it rest for few minutes to steam the eggplant through. Then start peeling with a pair of tongs while warm. As the eggplant cools, the skin tends to stick to the flesh.
- Add chopped aromatics: The recipe calls for chopped onions, pepper, ginger, garlic, chili and tomatoes. While we can use tomato purée or chili garlic ginger paste, I would not recommend it. Adding mashed ingredients makes the bharta smooth and not with texture as we would like it to be.
- Adding more vegetables: While the classic version has only eggplant with seasonings, it is common to make baingan bharta with a variety of vegetables. Diced carrots, chopped spinach, green peas and even chopped kale is perfect to add in. This works especially for those who do not like just eggplant.
- Substituting Eggplant: The same method works for squashes too. Bottle gourd or butternut squash are common to make into bharta.
- Adding more smokey flavor: If you are using the oven or air fryer to cook the eggplant, use this Dhungar Method. Make the bharta and transfer to a heat proof bowl. Place a small steel bowl on it. Then, heat up a piece of coal on an open flame till red hot. Place it in the bowl, add a teaspoon of ghee or oil on it and cover the bowl. Let the smoke mix into the bharta to get the perfect smokey flavor.
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