Baingan Bharta Recipe | How to make Baingan Bharta

Baingan Bharta, a very popular punjabi recipe in which baingan or brinjal is smoked on fire. Baingan Bharta always finds a place among most popular indian dishes around the world.

Bharta means mashed vegetable. There are many bahrta recipes prepared specially in North Indian cuisine. Potato Bharta, Tomato Bharta , Mix Veg Bharta and more. Bharta is also known by different words in different Indian states.

In Bihar, bharta is called chokha. You must have heard about Litti Chokha from Bihar. Litti is made of dough where as chokha is actually roasted or boiled mashed vegetables. Potato Chokha, Tomato Chokha and Potato-Eggplant chokha (popularly known as aloo baingan chokha) is served along with baked Litti.

In Maharashtra , bhrta is called bhaji. Just like Pav Bhaji, in which bhaji is the mashed mix vegetables,

Bharta is also used in common speaking. Anything messed up is referred as bharta, though bharta is a very tasty dish.

In authentic punjabi recipe, to make bharta, baingan is smoked in tandoor. Now a days, we do not have tandoors at homes, but we have ovens and cooking flames. We can roast it in oven or on flames. Here I have experienced that when we cook baingan on flames, a char is added to it which gives at a special aroma . In oven , it doesn't get it. It is cooked fairly in Oven and it becomes soft and skin can be peeled easily but that smoking smell is missed. So, I prefer to cook baingan on flames.

Recipe Video : Baingnan Bharta

Recipe Details : Baingan Bharta

Ingredients for Baingan Bharta

Baigan (Brinjal) : 1 Medium

Onion : 1 (finely chopped)

Tomatoes Chopped : 2 (fine chopped)

Green Chilli : 2 (fine chopped)

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Garlic : 4 - 5 cloves (crushed)

Ginger : 1/2 inch (grated)

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Corriander Powder: 1tsp

Red Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp

Mustard Oil : 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

Water : 1/4 cup

Lemon Juice : 1 tsp (optional)

How to make Baingan Bharta (step clicks and recipe details)

Wash baingan and apply a little oil on it before putting on flames. Make slits on baingan. I have made 4 - 4 slits in brinjal. After making slits, we can open the slits a bit and check inside if brinjal is good enough for cooking. Keep the flames at lowest and keep turning the sides of baingan.

Crush garlic cloves. Fill the crushed garlic in the slits of brinjal. Filling garlic in brinjal is optional. I did it so that garlic also roast with brinjal. In case you choose not to do so, you can always add garlic later while cooking spices and onion.

Now roast this brinjal on medium flames. We should keep turning sides of brinjal while roasting so that it roasts evenly. Roasting takes around 12 -1 5 minutes. When the outer skin of brinjal starts tearing, brinjal is roasted. Keep it aside till it comes on room temperature.

When roasted brinjal is on room temperature, separate the burnt skin and keep rest of brinjal aside.

Now heat oil in a pan. Leave cumin seeds in it. Let the cumin seeds crackle.

When cumin seeds crackle, add chopped onion in it. Fry chopped onion till it becomes golden pink in color. Now add dry spices coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Cook for few seconds.

Now add crushed ginger in it. Cook till raw smell of ginger is gone. Now add chopped tomatoes and green chili. Also add salt in it. Cook for a while and add water. Cook on medium flames for 2 minutes. Check if tomato is completely cooked. It should become like a paste of tomato.

Now add roasted brinjal in it. Mix it well and leave for cooking on medium flames. Once the water in it starts drying, lower the flames and cook further till it is completely dry. Add garam masala. Baingan ka bharta is ready.