Baingan Bharta (Mashed Eggplant)

Original Recipe from Cook with Manali

Total time: 30 minutes || Serving: 4 || Rating 9.5/10

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, around 550 grams each
• 3 tablespoon oil, ( olive oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil etc.)
• 8 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 inch ginger , chopped
• 1 green chili, or to taste, chopped (optional)
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder, or to taste
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
• 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

Eggplant

1. Preheat oven to 450F on broiler setting
2. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Brush it with little oil all over. Then make few slits all over the eggplant with a knife.
3. Put the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast, turning often for around 10-12 minutes until completely roasted.
4. Once roasted (to check if its done, insert a knife inside the eggplant, it should go easily).
5. Once cooled, remove the skin. Meanwhile also chop the roasted garlic.
6. Transfer the roasted eggplant to a bowl and mash using a fork or potato masher. Set it aside.

Bharta

1. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add ginger and green chili. Saute until they start changing colour, around 2 minutes.
2. Add in the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Don't brown them.
3. Add chopped garlic and fry them for 30 seconds.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix. Cook the tomatoes for around 5 minutes until very soft and you notice oil oozing out of the masala.
5. Add the mashed roasted eggplant into the pan and mix well.
6. Add the red chili powder, coriander powder and salt and mix.
7. Cook the bharta for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often.
8. Stir in the chopped cilantro and mix. Remove pan from heat.

Serve baingan bharta hot with fresh rotis, pita or naan!