Baigan Ka Bharta/ बैंगन का भर्ता ( Roasted Brinjal cooked with spices )

Baigan ka bharta

Baigan/Brinjal /Eggplant being roasted

Baigan ka bharta is prepared in different way in eastern part of India as compared to northern part of India. The recipe I am writing is the one I like most the one prepared all over northern part of India. Why I love this preparation of brinjal is the fact that my children just love it, be it with chapatti, paratha, rice and dal. Is there any mom who would not like to see children eating the food with relish and their faces telling everything they want to convey.

Preparation Time:   10 min.

Cooking Time:         30 – 40 min.

Servings:    Makes four large servings

Ingredients Required For Baigan Ka Bharta:-

• 250gm. Brinjal (one large)

• 100gm. Onions

• 100gm. Tomatoes

• 10gm. Paste of Ginger

• 10gm. Paste of Garlic

• Red chili powder to taste

• 2 Bay leaves

• 2 Cloves

• 1 Black Cardamom

• 1 Tea spoon Garam masala

• 10 ml. cooking oil / Ghee

• 50 gm. Butter

Direction For Preparing Baigan Ka Bharta:-

• Roast the baigan on flame till its outer covering becomes black and brinjal becomes soft.

Roasted Baigan ( brinjal)

• Leave aside the roasted brinjal for cooling.
• Remove the black peel from the roasted brinjal.

Roasted Baigan after removing the peeling

• Mash the clean roasted brinjal.

Roasted , cleaned and mashed baigan

•  Cut the Onions and tomatoes fine.

• Take Ghee / Oil in a wok and heat on high flame.

• Pound black cardamom so that it breaks

• When smoking hot lower the flame and add cloves, bay leaves and black cardamom.

• Cook for 30sec.

• Add finely cut onions and cook on low flame till they become transparent.

 

Onions being cooked

• Add ginger and garlic paste and cook till it starts leaving the oil (approx. 2min.).

Garlic ginger paste being cooked along with onions

• Add the roasted mashed brinjal and mix thoroughly and cook for 2 – 3 min.

 

Roasted and mashed baigan being cooked with spices

• Add finely cut tomatoes and mix.

Tomatoes being cooked with baigan and spices

 

• Cook for at least 5 min. with regular stirring.

• Add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder and mix thoroughly.

• Cover and cook till the bharta starts leaving the edge of wok (approx... 20min.).

• Add Garam masala and mix.

• Add butter and mix.

• Cover and remove from flame immediately.

• Keep it covered for 5min.

Cooked Baigan ka bharta

• Take out in a serving bowl.

• Heat 2 ml ghee / oil in a pan and heat, when hot add whole red chili and let the color of chili become reddish brown.

• Pour on the bharta.

• Decorate it with Coriander leaves / ringlets of onions and tomatoes.

 

Baigan Ka Bharta

Beautifully colored bharta with its garnishing is ready to be enjoyed along with hot parathas / chapattis / rice ……… 

 Tips:-

• Take brinjals of big size as they are easy to roast.

• To remove the black peel of the roasted brinjal let running water flow over them it will make removal of peel easy.

•  To find out if the brinjals are roasted check that the outer covering should be black and when poked they are soft and the juices start dripping.

• Making bharta in ghee enhances the taste. Those who cannot take ghee for any reason make it in oil.

 Suggested Variations:-

• Instead of poking with fork deep slits with knife can be made in the Brinjal /eggplant /baigan and then they can be roasted. 

• Instead roasting boil the whole brinjal in cooker and then remove the peel and make bharata.
• Those who do not eat onions and garlic it can be replaced by cumin and mustard seeds.