Baingan (eggplant) may not be a favorite vegetable for many but surprisingly baingan bharta is loved by most!! Its a favorite at our home too and my kids love the spicy slightly tangy sabzi with their rotis. I usually roast my baingan in the oven (or air-fryer) as its just more convenient and less messy with no compromise to taste as compared to the cooking on stove.
What is Baingan Bharta
Baingan Bharta is a popular Indian recipe made using roasted and mashed eggplant and hence the name baingan (eggplant) bharta (means mash). Traditionally the eggplant is roasted over charcoal or direct fire to give it a smoky flavor. But you can also grill the eggplant in an oven or now a days air fryer. The roasted smoked eggplant is then stir fried in spices to flavor it and make bharta. There are many ways you can make Baingan ka Bharta as the preparation style tends to differ as per different regions in India. The Maharashtrian version of bharta (no cook style) that I’ve grown up eating is made with onions, green chillies and with very little spices. Will share that recipe too someday. For today’s post I’m sharing an absolute favorite style of making this recipe, Punjabi Baigan Bharta. This version requires cooking the roasted, mashed eggplant with onion tomato masala and Indian spices and is finger licking delicious. So let’s see how to make it!!
Punjabi Baingan Bharta Ingredients
Baingan, also known as eggplant, brinjal, aubergine or baingan (in hindi) is the key ingredient for this recipe. Select the large fleshy or plump variety of eggplant with less seeds. Small eggplant variety doesn’t provide the same taste. How to know if the eggplant has less seeds? It is a popular belief that the male eggplant identified by round shape (indentation) at bottom (base) tends to have fewer seeds. Even after checking this, if you land up with the one with more seeds, simply remove the seeds after roasting and before mashing and adding it to the masala. The seeds tend to make the bharta bitter so preferably remove them before mashing. In addition, you also need some onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, cilantro and Indian spices to make this delicious dish.
How to make Punjabi Baingan Bharta:
Making Bharta is a two step process where first you roast the eggplant and then your stir fry it. Below is the step by step details for how to make it.
Prep the baingan:
Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Apply thin coat of oil all over. Make 4 deep slits and insert garlic cloves into each slit. You can roast your eggplant either on direct gas or in the oven or air fryer.
How to roast eggplant (baingan) in oven
Pre-heat the oven to 400F and line the baking tray with aluminium foil. Place the prepped eggplant on baking tray in the oven and let it cook (rotating the eggplant every 20 minutes for even cooking) for about 45mins - 1 hr or till properly cooked. It will shrink a little and look wrinkled. Now broil the eggplant on high for about 10-12 mins turning the eggplant after 2-3 mins to provide uniform heat to all sides. Broiling helps provide the smoky flavor. Remove the tray out of the oven and allow time to cool.
How to roast eggplant (baingan) on gas (Stovetop - direct fire)
Place the prepped eggplant directly on heat and cook rotating at regular intervals for 10-15mins or until completely cooked. Insert a knife and check, if it pierces through then its done. Transfer to a plate or bowl and allow to cool.
How to roast eggplant (baingan) in air-fryer
Place the prepped eggplant inside the air fryer and cook at 400F for 20-30 mins or until completely cooked. Insert a knife and check, if it pierces through then its done. Transfer to a plate or bowl and allow to cool.
Mash the Baingan
Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle peel the skin off and then either with your hands or fork mash the eggplant. Keep this aside. At this point you can wither cook with it or refrigerate in airtight container for couple of days or freeze it for later use for up to a month.
To make baingan bharta:
In a vessel heat some oil and once hot add the cumin seeds (optional). Once they start spluttering add the onions and saute till they turn light golden brown. Stir in the ginger and green chillies and saute for few seconds and add the tomatoes, salt and mix until combined. When the tomatoes turn soft add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, amchur (dry mango) powder, garam masala and coriander powder and mix well. Cook till this mixture starts leaving oil from the sides. Now add the mashed eggplant(with garlic), mix well. until combined and cover and cook for couple of mins. Finish off with some coriander (cilantro) leaves. That’s it our easy and delicious Punjabi Baigan Bharta is ready. Serve it warm with Roti/naan/chapati or and Indian bread of your choice. Enjoy!
Tips to make the Best Baingan Bharta recipe
Select the large plump variety of eggplant with less seeds. Roast the eggplant well, that’s where all the flavor for this recipe comes from. You can roast it on stovetop or oven or air-fryer. Traditionally its done on direct heat on stovetop but I find that messy since the stove top looks really dirty afterwards. So I prefer making my baingan bharta in oven by roasting the eggplant in oven vs direct heat. Plus peeling the charred skin of oven roasted eggplant is much easy compared to the stove top. Broil you eggplant at the end of baking to add that stovetop like smoky charred flavor to it. Roast the garlic along with the eggplant for that depth of flavor. Add freshly grated/minced ginger. Another key ingredient that contributes to the bharta flavor and texture. Those bits of ginger in that smooth bharta taste amazing!! Add some more raw ginger bits towards the end if you love ginger like my husband are also game changer.
More delicious Punjabi recipes :
Aloo Gobi Sookhi Dal Tinda Curry Punjabi Khichdi Maa Chole ki Dal Hope you enjoy this Punjabi Baingan Bharta recipe as much as we do!! If you give this recipe a try, we did love to hear your feedback ❤️. Please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you! You can also find me on Facebook Instagram Pinterest.
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Happy Cooking!! Shweta
