Punjabi Eggplant Baingan Bharta Recipes

BAINGAN BHARTA (EGGPLANT BHARTA)

Steps:

• Rinse eggplants well under running water and wipe dry with a kitchen tissue. Make 4 slits on the brinjal and push 4 garlic cloves deep inside 2 slits. Also push 2 slit green chilies in the other 2 slits. Brush them with oil.
• On Direct Fire: With the help of a tong, place it on direct fire. You can do it either on the red hot coal or stovetop. Keep turning it to all the other sides and grill until it is done completely roasted. It takes about 12 to 14 mins.
• To grill in oven: Line a metal tray with foil. Cut each eggplant to 2 parts and place them on the tray with the skin side on top. You can also place the tomatoes in the same tray. Broil/Grill them at 460 F or 240 C for 16 to 18 mins.
• In air fryer: Place baingan, chilies, garlic and tomatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 F or 200 C. It takes roughly about 22 mins for the whole eggplant, 16 mins if you halve the eggplant & air fry.
• Once done, check by inserting a fork into the eggplant. It should go in smoothly & easily meaning it is soft and cooked well. (Check step-by-step photos above)
• Cool the eggplant and peel the skin. Optionally - Transfer the eggplant to a bowl and cover it for 5 mins. Once done remove the skin.
• Mash or chop the eggplant, grilled garlic and green chilies. Keep these aside. Chop the tomatoes, onions and raw garlic as well.
• Pour oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add chopped ginger and garlic.
• Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic.
• Then add chopped onions and saute until they turn light golden.
• Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until they become soft. Then add red chili powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell from the tomatoes goes away.
• Then mashed eggplants, garlic and green chilies. (You may want to save half of the green chilies for later after taste testing)
• Mix everything and mash it a bit to blend well. Then add garam masala and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.
• Taste test and add more salt and green chilli. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve baingan bharta with roti, rice or naan.

BAINGAN BHARTA

Steps:

• Rinse the eggplant in water and then pat dry with a kitchen napkin. Cut the eggplant from its base up-to an inch away from the stem without breaking it apart.
• Cut on four sides or directions as shown in the step-by-step guide above. The eggplant has to be whole when you place it on the stove-top.
• Pull apart the cut sides gently and check for worms or any black spots. Discard the eggplant if you see any worms in it.
• If the eggplant looks clean and without worms, then proceed further. Optionally you can spread a light layer of oil all over it.
• Keep it for roasting on direct flame on the stove-top. Keep the flame to medium-low or medium.
• Note that as the eggplant cooks some of the juices and drippings will fall which you can wipe later. I don't recommend placing or covering the sides of the stove-top burner with aluminum foil as they can burn and be dangerous.
• You can also grill the eggplant in the oven. But then do note that you won't get the smoky flavor in the eggplant.
• Secure the eggplant between tongs and keep on turning it after 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that it is evenly cooked.
• Roast the eggplant till its completely cooked and tender. With a fork or knife check the doneness. The knife should slide easily in aubergine without any resistance. Remove the eggplant and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools.
• You can also do the dhungar technique of infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the eggplant. This is an optional step. Use natural charcoal for this method. Carefully heat a small piece of charcoal on flame with the help of tongs or by placing it in a wired metal fire-proof rack above the flame, till it becomes smoking hot and red.
• Make small cuts on the roasted eggplant 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.
• 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 1.5 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can also do this dhungar method once the baingan bharta is cooked, just like the way we do for dal tadka.
• Whether you have charcoal smoked the eggplant or not, peel the charred skin when it cools. Chop finely or you can even mash it.
• In a kadai or frying pan or skillet, heat oil. Then add finely chopped onions and garlic.
• Stirring often, sauté the onions till they soften and translucent. Don't brown them.
• Add chopped green chillies and chopped tomatoes. Mix well.
• Sauté the tomatoes stirring often, till the oil starts separating from the mixture. The tomatoes should become pulpy, soft and oil should release from the masala mixture.
• Now add the red chili powder. Stir and mix again.
• Add the chopped or mashed eggplant. Mix thoroughly.
• Season with salt. Stirring often saute for some 4 to 5 minutes on low to medium-low heat.
• Finally stir in the coriander leaves or garnish bharta with them. Serve baingan bharta with phulka, roti or chapati. It goes well even with bread, toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or jeera rice.
• You can also pair it with any North Indian meal or mains.

PUNJABI EGGPLANT (BAINGAN BHARTA)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Punjabi baingan ka bharta requires roasted eggplant. Roast eggplant on a gas cooktop by placing the eggplants straight over the burner(s) and keeping the flame on low setting. Keep turning and cooking until all the skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft, about 20 minutes; the eggplant will seem to 'cave in' on itself. Or, you can grill the eggplant in your oven broiler or on your barbecue grill. Again, keep turning periodically until all the skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner flesh looks really soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Once the eggplant is roasted, allow to cool fully and then peel off and discard the charred skin.
• Once cool, coarsely mash it and keep aside for later use.
• Place pan over medium heat and add the cooking oil. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cook till the spluttering stops.
• Add the onions and fry until soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic and the ginger and then fry for 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, optional green chiles, coriander, ground cumin, and garam masala. Stir well and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the spice mix from sticking to the pan. Sprinkle a little water if needed.
• Add the eggplant and salt and mix well. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add the chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) and stir. Cook another minute and turn off the heat. Serve hot with chapatis or rice and your favorite daal dish.

BAINGAN KA BHARTA (INDIAN-PUNJABI STYLE)

Steps:

• Set oven to broil on high. Grease the Egg Plant with some oil, poke 2 or three holes (so it doesn't explode)and put it in the oven. Keep checking it till the outer skin starts cracking and can be peeled off easily. You want the skin to burn a little so the eggplant has a smokey flavor.
• Allow the eggplant to cool a little. Peel the outer skin of the eggplant under cold water.
• When the skin is removed, mash the eggplant well so that it has an even consistency, you can keep seeds or remove them based on your preferance.
• Put some oil in a pan. When hot, put hing (Asafoetida)and Jeera (cumin seeds)in. After a minute or so, when the cumin seeds begin to turn darker and give off aroma, add the finely chopped onions.
• When the onions are light golden brown, add the finely cut green chillies and ginger to it.
• Heat the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Then add tomatoes and stir until this masala is pulpy and seperates from the oil.
• Add all the masalas and add the eggplant to it. Stir it well and crush the eggplant as much as possible.
• Heat and stir it until the egg plant is well blended into the onion and tomato paste mixture.
• The more you sauté it, the more enhanced the flavor becomes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Parathas or Roti (Indian flat bread).