Baingan Bartha

"Baingan Bartha" or "Baingan ka Bhurta" is a vegetarian dish from Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

Baingan Bartha is a popular Eggplant Curry that goes well with Indian Bread/Rotis/Chapathis. Traditionally the eggplant is roasted directly over flame/fire until the skin shrivels and peels off easily. Roasting the eggplant over fire gives it a smoky flavor and the taste of the curry would be real good. We can even bake the eggplant in the oven. Grilling is also a good option. The roasted eggplant flesh is mashed and cooked with onions, tomatoes and few spices.

Select large brinjals with a shiny smooth surface as these are more likely to be without many seeds.

Ingredients
Eggplant or Baingan - 1
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Galic paste - 1 tsp
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 2 (small,chopped)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies - 1 (finely chopped)
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - as required

Method

Rub some oil on the Baingan and roast it directly on the fire until the skin chars and the flesh is completely cooked. This works best when you have a gas stove. Keep checking and turn when required.

Once cooked, place it in cold water and peel the black skin off. It should come off easily. Now, just run your knife over the baingan randomly and cut it into small bits and smash it .

Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera and allow it to splutter. Then add the chopped onions, chopped green chillies, some salt. Saute it for a minute. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute it for few minutes.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes turn soft.

Now add the mashed brinjal flesh and mix it well. Let it cook in medium flame for 10 minutes. Then add the garam masala powder and cook for another 2 minutes.

Delicious Baingan Bartha is ready to be served hot with your Chappathis.