Baingan Bharta (Smoky Eggplant Bharta)

Baingan Bharta is a staple Punjabi dish that transforms simple roasted eggplant into a smoky, flavorful curry when combined with onion, tomatoes and some basic Indian spices. This recipe delivers authentic Punjabi flavors and come to you directly from my Punjabi mother-in-law's tried, tested and perfected recipe collection.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Smoky Aroma: This is achieved by roasting the eggplant over an open flame. You can also use an oven and broiler.
• Minimal Ingredients: It just needs onion, tomatoes and basic Indian spices to make it into the most delicious thick masala.
• Vegan and Gluten-Free: Baingan bharta is already vegetarian but also naturally a vegan and gluten-free recipe.
• Easy to Make: It's super easy to make. The only slightly lengthy process is to roast the eggplants, which can take an hour and 15 mins if using the oven.

What Is Baingan Bharta?

Baingan Bharta is a staple dish in Punjabi cuisine particularly in India and Pakistan. It is prepared by roasting eggplant and cooking it down with lots of chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and very basic spices that you already have in your pantry. Traditionally, it’s cooked by charring the eggplant on an open flame, which lends it a smoky aroma and flavor. With most curries from South Asia, it is eaten with paratha or roti.

What's special about this Baingan Bharta?

I have to admit-I never grew up eating Baingal Bharta as a child. Even though my family is Punjabi, this dish wasn't ever made at home and I recall actually trying my first ever bharta at a friend's in college. I was blown away by the complexity of flavors. Fast forward to many years later, I actually now know how to make the most bangin' bharta ever. My mother-in-law's Baingan bharta is famous amongst family and friends and the difference I find in her bharta is that its deeper in color and really homogenous with the masala as opposed to each ingredient of the curry masala showing separately.

Easy Methods of roasting eggplant for Baingan Bharta

1. Open Flame: This is the traditional way of roasting. You just put the oil-rubbed eggplant on the stove directly over the fire . The point is to actually char the skin completely until the eggplant is soft on the inside. Keep rotating the eggplant. It takes 20-25 mins to properly roast but this method can be a bit messy as the eggplant juices will spill on your stove.
2. Oven Roasting (Broiler + Bake): I make slits into the eggplant and rub it with oil. I place them on a foil lined tray and then wrap the top of the tray with foil to allow the eggplants to cook in the steam. If your eggplants are big, roasting them in the oven will take 60-75 mins easily. For that smoky finish, I broil it for 10-15 minutes at the end.
3. Air Fryer: You can also roast the eggplant for bharta in the air fryer at 380-390F. This method takes around 25-30 minutes. Flip the eggplant halfway through to cook it evenly until it's soft.

How to make Baingan Bharta

1. Roasting the Eggplant

You'll need some bangin' eggplants (sorry :p), make a few slits with a knife, rub with oil and roast in the oven at 400F for 75 mins. I like to turn on the broiler for another 5-10 mins to char it. You an also do this directly on the stove but please be very careful with this step. Once done, allow to cool, then carefully peel the skin and mash the pulp with a fork.

2. Spices needed for Bharta

There are four main spices that we will use for this Baingan Bharta.

Kashmiri Red Chili: I prefer this over regular red chili because its mildly spicy and lends such a beautiful deep red color to the dish. I add 4 teaspoons. If you don't have Kashmiri chili or don't like the red hue to the dish, you should start with ¾ teaspoon of regular red chili and increase the level of heat to taste because regular chili like cayenne is very spicy.

Cumin and coriander: I consider these sister spices; cumin is earthy and coriander adds a slight tang. They usually go together in most dishes in Pakistan and India.

Garam Masala: Garam masala is a blend of earthy and warming spices that we will use as a finishing spice at the end.

3. Prepare the Bharta

Think of bharta as the masala curry base. All you have to do is sauté chopped onions till brown then add your ginger, garlic, green chili and tomatoes till they get soft. Add the eggplant, all the spices and mash it with your spatula (I use a potato masher to really get in there). You will cook this on medium heat uncovered for at least 20-25 mins. The goal is to get rid of the excess moisture. To finish it, add a little garam masala. The resulting bharta should be thick and homogenous with the onion and tomatoes.

4. How to serve Baingan Bharta

Garnish the bharta with fresh cilantro and if you prefer a squeeze of lemon for some tang. Serve it with roti or paratha. You can also add a side of chutney or raita to balance the flavors.

Is Baingan Bharta healthy?

Yes, it can be made very healthy by controlling the amount of oil! Eggplant is low in calories and high in fiber.

Tips for the Best Baingan Bharta

1. Roast the Eggplant Properly: Roasting is important for this dish so be generous with the roasting time if using the oven. If roasting on an open flame, it will take you 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the eggplant.
2. Cook it down: To get the consistency that's thick like in my video, you need to really let the bharta cook till everything is almost dry. I also allow the bharta to stick a little to the bottom of the pan to create more of a char.
3. Charcoal smoke: To infuse an intense smoky flavor into the dish after it's prepared, turn off the stove and place a hot, burnt piece of charcoal on a small bed of foil in the center of the baingan bharta. Drop a teaspoon of oil over the charcoal; it will instantly release smoke. over the dish with a lid and let it absorb the smoky aroma for 5 minutes. This quick step will give your Baingan Bharta a rich, BBQ-like flavor.

How do I store leftovers?

Store Baingan Bharta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over low heat before serving or simply heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minutes.