A very famous Indian dish known for its smoky flavour and rich, spicy taste, Baingan Bharta is nothing but eggplant mashed, roasted, and cooked with aromatic spices. Indeed, this dish is a delicious vegetarian option, along with roti, naan, or rice. The Baingan Bharta recipe begins with big, fresh eggplants. Char roast them over an open flame till the skin turns black and the inside is soft and smoky. Remove the charred skin, mash it into a smooth consistency, and then make it into a Baingan Bharta.In a pan, put oil or ghee. Now add cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onions, chillies, and garlic when the seeds begin to splutter. Now saut this mix till the onions turn golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan, let it cook till they soften, then set to form a thick, flavourful gravy. Add mashed roasted eggplant, turmeric, red chilli powder, and garam masala to the pan. Stir well and let it cook for a minute or two or until flavours meld. Finally, garnish the Baingan Bharta recipe with chopped coriander leaves and squeeze in lemon juice. This Baingan Bharta recipe is perfect for someone who likes a robust flavour. Such roasted eggplant in a tangy base of tomato is immensely satisfying. Have it over rice or Indian bread, revel in it hot, and have a reassuringly wholesome meal.

• 500 gms brinjal
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Coriander
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 onion
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tomato
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• Start with 500 gms of brinjal, and wash thoroughly under running water to flush out every speck of dirt or impurities.
• Wipe the brinjal dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
• Dry the brinjal and roast without splattering during the cooking process.
• Apply a thin layer of oil all over the surface of the brinjal after it has been dried.
• Oil eases the roasting process, such that the inside becomes soft and smoky while the skin is charred evenly.
• Put the oiled brinjal into a position directly over the open flame from your stovetop.
• Set the flame to medium and keep turning the brinjal at times so all sides are roasted evenly.
• You will realise the skin blisters and becomes black as it roasts. Keep roasting the brinjal until the whole skin is charred and the eggplant feels soft to the touch.
• The time taken is about 10-15 minutes, depending on how big the brinjal is. Roasting is what's going to give this dish its rich, smoky flavour as well.
• After roasting the brinjal, please remove it from the flame once its skin has been completely burnt and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• This will make the peeling of the skin easy. Let the brinjal cool down completely. Gently peel off the blackened skin.
• The texture should quickly come out with the soft, smoky flesh inside. Do not throw the skin away and pour the pulp of the roasted brinjal into a bowl.
• Crush it with a fork or potato masher. It should be smooth and well smoothened, with no lumps, and pretty soft.
• Set the mashed brinjal for later use. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large kadhai or pan over a medium flame. When hot, add 1 Tsp cumin seeds.
• Let cumin seeds crackle briefly, releasing their nutty aroma into the air. That's because cumin adds flavour to it.
• Add one finely chopped onion to the pan. The onions will turn light brown, which takes about 5-6 minutes, and it gives sweetness to the dish, which mixes in well with the smoky flavour of roasted brinjal.
• Once done, add one teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste. Stir the paste with the onions and cook another minute until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic disappears. This step infuses a lot of flavour into the dish and makes it quite aromatic.
• Add two chopped tomatoes to the pan. Toss in the onion mixture and cook till they mush up and turn soft.
• The tomatoes will splatter their juices and make a thick gravy. This will take about 5 minutes. The tomatoes have a tangy flavour that gives a appetizing balance to the smokiness of the brinjal.
• Let's spice it up now! Add 1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder, 1 Tsp of red chilli powder-your preferred spice level, 1 Tsp of coriander powder, and salt as required. Mix well to get the spices well incorporated into the tomato-onion mixture.
• Let the spices cook for 2-3 minutes, and let their flavours mix up into the masala.
• Add the mashed brinjal to the pan and mix well to combine it with the masala.
• Reduce flame and let this mixture cook for 5-7 minutes, occasionally stirring it.
• This cooking time allows the smoky flavour of the brinjal to mingle with spices and yields a vibrant and delicious dish.
• Once the Baingan Bharta is prepared, turn off the flame and add chopped fresh coriander leaves to give it a burst of freshness.
• You can serve Baingan Bharta hot with roti, naan, or rice.