Baingan Ka Bharta

Baingan Ka Bharta is a Punjabi dish made of big eggplant which is roasted.

Tastes absolutely wonderful and goes well with chapati and rice.

There are many ways you can roast the eggplant:

• Put the eggplant directly on the flame on stove top. Keep turning the eggplant at regular intervals so that it is roasted evenly on all sides. Cook till the skin of the eggplant is charred and soft inside.
• If you have electric burners, then place it on a grill ( as shown in the picture below ) and cook in a similar way.
• It can be roasted in oven till the skin is charred and soft inside.
• It can also be roasted on barbecue grill.

Ingredients :

• Eggplant - 1 Large or 2 small
• Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Chopped Onions - 1 large
• Chopped Tomatoes - 1
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Green Chillies - 2
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Salt -to taste
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnishing

Directions :

• Roast the eggplant in one of the above mentioned ways and let it cool.
• Once it is cool, peel the charred skin and discard it. Mash the eggplant and keep it aside.
• Now in a pan, heat cooking oil, and add cumin seeds to it, let them splutter.
• Add finely chopped onions and suate them until translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chillies and fry for a minute.
• Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till they r tender.
• Add all the powders ( coriander , cumin, garam masala ) and mix well. Cook for about 4-5 minutes ( or till the raw smell of onions, ginger garlic is gone ) making sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. You can sprinkle few drops of water to it, if it sticks to the bottom.
• Add the mashed eggplant and salt to this mixture and mix well. Cook for just a couple of minutes and turn off the flame.
• Garnish it with Chopped Cilantro.

Enjoy it hot with chapatis or steamed rice.

Note - Green Chillies can be replaced by red chilli powder ( whatever you prefer )