Punjabi Baingan Bharta
Whole eggplant charred over an open flame until smoky, then mashed and cooked with onion, tomato and spices into a rustic, deeply flavoured dish.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 180 kcal
Equipment
- •Open flame or grill
- •Kadhai
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 16 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 3 g
- calories
- 180 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rub the whole eggplant with a little oil. Roast over an open flame or grill, turning until charred and soft.
- 2
Let it cool slightly. Peel off the charred skin and mash the soft flesh.
- 3
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai (deep pot). Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle and pop.
- 4
Add chopped onion. Fry and stir until it turns golden brown.
- 5
Add ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Cook until the raw smell goes away and it smells fragrant.
- 6
Add tomato, turmeric and chilli powder. Cook until the oil starts to separate from the spice mix.
- 7
Add the mashed eggplant and mix well. Cook for 8-10 minutes until everything comes together.
- 8
Garnish with coriander and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Roasting the eggplant directly over an open flame gives it a classic smoky flavour. Fry the onions until deep golden for the best depth of flavour.
Ingredient substitutions
- open flame roasting → oven grill/broiler roasting with occasional turning
Storage
Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the eggplant instead of roasting it over a flame, which loses the smoky flavour.
- •Not cooking off enough moisture, leaving the bharta (mashed dish) watery.
Serving suggestions
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