Baingan ka Bharta Recipe

with step by step pictures

Roasted and mashed eggplant cooked with loads of onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and green coriander leaves and a few spices to make a dish which tends to be the favorite of many, including me, is baigan ka bharta. This baingan ka bharta recipe belongs to my mom and to all the other Punjabis in the world. Garlic is also added while making bharta but I never add it. I love the tanginess of tomatoes, the kick of green chilies, the freshness of green coriander leaves and the sweetness of onions and the way all these ingredients bring out the distinct taste of the brinjal/eggplant.

Baigan ka bharta can be served with simple tawa chapati or parathas. I love to have it with paratha and a bowl of yogurt along with some onion salad.

Baingan ka Bharta Recipe- Ingredients for Bharta

Baigan ka bharta doesn’t call for too many or difficult ingredients. Certainly the main ingredient i.e. baigan / brinjal is critical. Let’s have a look at all the ingredients required for the baingan ka bharta recipe.

Brinjal/eggplant/baigan: Large brinjal, fleshy ones are needed to make baingan ka bharta. The selection of proper baigan is important for a good bharta.

How to select eggplant?

1. It is important to check the eggplant/baigan for any holes etc. Eggplants often have worms inside, so it is important to check for the same at the first stage itself.
2. Always try to pick the brinjal with the least seeds. Seeds ruin the taste of the dish. Pick the brinjal which is light.
3. Take tight skinned and dark purple brinjals.

After the selection of eggplant, next is the roasting of eggplant.

How to roast eggplant?

1. Thoroughly wash the eggplant.
2. Oil it properly.
3. Roast on a low to medium-low flame

Onion, tomatoes, green chilies and fresh coriander leaves: Tomatoes are added in a good quantity. The tanginess of the tomatoes is the highlight of baigan ka bharta is also important to balance the sharp flavor of eggplant. Green chilies add a lot of depth to bharta and therefore should not be skipped. Fresh coriander leaves are indispensable to finish off the baingan ka bharta recipe.

Spices: Minimal and the most basic spices have been used for the baingan bharta which are salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and coriander seed powder.

Baingan ka Bharta Recipe – Tips to make perfect baingan bharta

1. The selection of correct eggplant or baingan is the most important part of the baingan ka bharta recipe.
2. Roast the eggplant slowly. Do not hurry up with this step.
3. Add enough oil. As such ghee can also be used but I prefer oil. Do not cut down on the quantity of oil.
4. Check for the worms at every stage. Even after roasting the eggplant if you find the worms, discard the whole eggplant.
5. Cook each ingredient properly.
6. Finally, check for the balance of flavors and adjust the same if required.

Recipes similar to the Baingan Bharta recipe

Very close to the baingan bharta recipe is the chokha recipe. Originally Bihari chokha is prepared with eggplant; however, the other variations are aloo chokha and tamatar ka chokha. These are served with Litti.

How to serve Baigan ka Bharta?

Serve it with paratha and plain yogurt.