Baingan Bharta

One of my all time favorite Indian dishes has got to be Baingan bharta – and one of my favorite places to get it is from Chaat Bhavan in Fremont, but more on that spot another time. If you are also a diehard eggplant fan (and if you not, you should be! Learn more about eggplants here!), try this comforting, scrumptious, creamy and savory eggplant dish, and tell me you don’t love eggplants more!

Ingredients for Baingan bharta

adapted from this NYT recipe

• 2-3 Asian eggplants
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped [sweet onion]
• 1 LB fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 2 TBS garlic paste, or use 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ C chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp paprika, or chilies if you’re into spicy
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
• 2 tsp garam masala
• Vegetable oil for cooking

How to Make Baingan bharta

1. For the most flavor, roast the eggplants until blackened on an open flame: Prick the eggplant with a thin-blade knife or fork. Grill over or next to very high heat, turning as necessary until the skin is blackened and the eggplant melts inside.
   • We don’t have a gas stove so we just roasted ours in oven (on a sheet just oil them and prick them and bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes and depending on the size of your eggplants.
2. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel (should be super easy) and trim away the hard stem. Chop or mash in a bowl, with lemon juice.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and paprika (or chilies) and cook for another minute.
5. Add the tomato, turmeric and salt. Cook until the tomato is soft, 5 minutes or so.
6. Stir in the eggplant purée and cook, stirring, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and garam masala and turn off the heat. Serve hot with your favorite carb! (Like fluffy breads or rice!)

MORE ADVENTURES:

Shakshuka Seafood Paella Tortilla Española Eggs Over-Whatever