BENGAN KA BHARTA

INGREDIENTS

1 large aubergine/eggplant/bhartha baingan
1 medium onion, finely chopped, about ½
cup finely chopped onion
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped, about 1
cup finely chopped tomatoes
5 to 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped,
about 1 heaped tsp of finely chopped garlic
1 green chili/hari mirch, chopped
¼ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder or
add as required
1 to 1.5 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania
patta
salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the baingan (eggplant or aubergine)
in water. Pat dry with a kitchen napkin.
Apply some oil all over and keep it for
roasting on an open flame. You can also
grill the baingan or roast in the oven. But
then you won't get the smoky flavor of the
baingan. Keep the eggplant turning after a
2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that its
evenly cooked. You could also embed some
garlic cloves in the baingan and then roast
it.
2. Roast the aubergine till its completely
cooked and tender. With a knife check the
doneness. The knife should slid easily in
aubergines without any resistance. Remove
the baingan and immerse in a bowl of
water till it cools down.
3. You can also do the dhungar technique of
infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the
baingan. This is an optional step. Use
natural charcoal for this method. Heat a
small piece of charcoal on flame till it
becomes smoking hot and red.
4. Make small cuts on the baingan with a
knife. Place the red hot charcoal in the
same plate where the roasted aubergine is
kept. Add a few drops of oil on the
charcoal. The charcoal would begin to
smoke.
5. As soon as smoke begins to release from
the charcoal, cover the entire plate tightly
with a large bowl. Allow the charcoal
smoke to get infused for 1 to 2 minutes.
The more you do, the more smoky the
baingan bharta will become. I just keep for
a minute. Alternatively, you can also do
this dhungar method once the baingan
bharta is cooked, just like the way we do
for Dal Tadka .
6. Peel the skin from the roasted and smoked
eggplant.
7. Chop the cooked eggplant finely or you can
even mash it.
8. In a kadai or pan, heat oil. Then add finely
chopped onions and garlic.
9. Saute the onions till translucent. Don't
brown them.
10. Add chopped green chilies and saute for a
minute.
11. Add in the chopped tomatoes and mix it
well.
12. Bhuno (saute) the tomatoes till the oil
starts separating from the mixture.
13. Now add the red chili powder. Stir and mix
well.
14. Add the chopped cooked baingan.
15. Stir and mix the chopped baingan very well
with the onion-tomato masala mixture.
16. Season with salt. Stir and saute for some
more 4 to 5 minutes more.
17. Finally stir in the coriander leaves with the
baingan bharta or garnish it with them.
Serve Baingan Bharta with phulkas, rotis or
chapatis. It goes well even with bread,
toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or
jeera rice.