This smoky baingan bharta is a delicious Indian-style eggplant mash that is great to serve with naan or paratha. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and comes together in 30 minutes.

If you are looking for more baingan recipes, here are some of them that you can make for everyday meals – Baingan Methi, Aloo Baingan, Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan, Kashmiri Dahi Baingan, Kalonji Baingan, and Masaledar Bharwa Baingan. 

About This Recipe

Baingan bharta or eggplant bharta is an India style smoky roasted eggplant mash. The whole eggplant is roasted over direct flame until it is soft and smoky and then the pulp is cooked with mild spices.

Baingan ka bharta is made in many different ways in different regions. In Maharashtra, it is called vangyache bharit, chokha in Bihar, and kathirikai gothsu in Tamil Nadu. The recipe I am sharing today is a Punjabi style baingan bharta which is now popular not only in Indian but all around the world.

Smoky flavor, spicy masala, and no hint of slimness anywhere, baingan bharta is vegan and gluten-free too.

During winter, I prepare this bharta recipe as often as I can, because the seasonal eggplants are way more nutritious than the ones available during other seasons of the year.

The best way to roast the eggplant is on direct flame. You can either do it on a stovetop or on a BBQ grill. If these are not available, then you can roast them in an oven or air fryer too.

So, if you also have not tried it yet, it’s time to give this delicious sabzi a try and it tastes amazing with hot tawa parathas. 

This Baingan Bharta is,

• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Spicy + Smoky
• Delicious
• Easy to make
• Perfect for weekday meals
• Perfect to pack in Lunch Box

Ingredients

Baingan – Getting the right eggplant is very important. Choose the ones with shiny, firm, and glossy skin. There shouldn’t be any marks or dents on it. Choose the eggplant with a dot at the bottom and not a line. The one with a dot is the male fruit with fewer seeds.

Oil – I personally like to prepare in mustard oil, as it adds a beautiful flavor and is also considered very healthy.

Green Chilies – You can adjust the amount of green chilies as per your taste and spice level. I like it spicy and thus I add more chilies.

Spice Powders – To enhance the taste, even more, we will add in some basic everyday spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and dry mango powder.

Peas – This is optional, but I like the bite green peas add in the soft bharta. If you do not have fresh peas, you can use frozen green peas too. Just add the frozen green peas to a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, discard the water and they will be ready to use.

If using fresh peas, then boil them in water until tender before adding to the bharta.

Fresh Coriander – Finally, add some more taste and a refreshing flavor by garnishing it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Others – We will also need some basic ingredients such as garlic, onion, ginger, tomato, and salt, that combined will enhance the taste of this bharta.

How to make Baingan Bharta?

To start making the bharta, first, roast the eggplant. Wash it and wipe it with a kitchen towel. Make 8-10 slits in it using a paring knife all over.

Insert one whole peeled garlic clove in each slit. Roasting the garlic cloves along with the eggplant gives a very delicious flavor to this bharta. So do not skip this step.

Keep the eggplant on the direct flame over a wire rack and roast from all the sides on medium heat till the skin is blackened and it is soft from inside. Keep rotating it every 2-3 minutes while roasting. It will take 10-12 minutes to roast it properly. To check if it is roasted well, insert a knife in it. The knife should go inside the pulp easily.

Note – Roasting the eggplant over direct heat gives it a very nice smoky flavor. So I highly recommend roasting it over direct flame. But you can also roast it in an oven, air fryer, or BBQ grill or even steam it in a pressure cooker.

Remove the roasted eggplant from heat and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the burnt skin by peeling it using your fingers. Chop off the top. Wash the peeled eggplant to remove any trace of charred skin. Cut it into half and remove the seeds. Mash the pulp using your fingers, fork, or a potato masher and keep it aside.

Heat 4 tablespoon mustard oil in a pan. A cast iron pan is the best to make this dish.

Note – If mustard oil is not available, you can cook the bharta in any oil.

Add 1 cup chopped onion, and 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies and fry on medium heat till translucent.

Add 2 teaspoon grated ginger and cook for another minute.

Now add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until mushy. Keep stirring at regular intervals.

Add 2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon dry mango powder, and salt to taste along with ½ cup of water and fry for a minute.

Add ¼ cup green peas and eggplant mash and mix well. Cook on high heat for a minute or two. Keep mashing with the back of the ladle.

Note – If using frozen pea, wash and drain them before adding them to the pan. If using fresh peas, cook them in water until tender, drain and add to the pan.

Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped coriander and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pro Tips By Neha

Use plump large sized eggplant to make baingan bharta. Make sure they are the variety with fewer seeds.

Discard the large seeds after roasting the eggplant. Also check for worms inside the pulp.

You can also boil the eggplant to make the bharta but trust me, the taste will be only mediocre.

To check if eggplant is cooked from inside, insert a knife in it. If the knife passes through easily, it means it is done.

Mustard oil gives a lovely pungent flavor to this dish, however, you can cook it in any other oil too.

Adding peas in your bharta is totally optional. You can always skip adding them.

You can make a mix of potato and eggplant bharta too. This baingan aloo bharta tastes equally delicious. Roast the potatoes along with baingan to make this bharta.

Roasting a few garlic along with eggplant gives it a nice depth of flavor. I  make a few slits in the eggplant and insert garlic cloves in these slits.

You can add fresh chopped methi or even Kasuri methi in the recipe if you wish to.

You can also add cooked mutton mince in this bharta and make baingan mutton bharta. Add more spices as mentioned below if using mutton as well.

Storage Suggestions

Baingan Ka Bharta will last in the fridge for 2 to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave until nice and warm before serving.

Baingan Bharta can be easily frozen too. Just transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 months for later use. When ready to use, thaw it over the counter for 2-3 hours and then microwave until warm.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this baingan bharta with Indian bread such as roti, plain tawa paratha, lachha paratha, or missi roti. You can also serve it as a side with the rice dal combination. 

I will tell you a creative and delicious way to use leftover bharta. Stuff it in mini tart shells and serve as an appetizer.

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