Everyday Kitchen

Indian · Dinner

Baingan Bharta

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
VegEasy

Diet: Veg · Vegan · Gluten-free

Roast a whole eggplant until the flesh collapses. Mash it into a cooked tomato and onion base.

Prep
10 min
Cook
70 min
Cool
10 min
Total
90 min
Servings
3
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Indian
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of baingan bharta
Representative eggplant bharta with spring-onion garnish. This draft uses coriander instead. This is not a tested result of our recipe. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 3

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Main ingredients

Seasoning and finishing

Equipment

Baking tray; foil; fork; bowl; wide frying pan; spoon.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Roast the eggplant · About 50 min

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C conventional or 200°C fan.
  2. Line the tray with foil.
  3. Prick 1 large eggplant all over with the fork.
  4. Put the eggplant on the tray.
  5. Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning halfway through.

    Check: The skin should wrinkle and the flesh should collapse under gentle pressure.

  6. Leave the eggplant to cool for 10 minutes.
  7. Peel away the skin.
  8. Mash the flesh in the bowl.

Make the tomato base · About 8 min

  1. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in the frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add 120 ml finely chopped onion.
  3. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring often.

    Check: The onion should turn pale gold.

  4. Add 5 cloves finely chopped garlic and ½ tsp finely chopped green chili.
  5. Stir for 1 minute.
  6. Add 240 ml finely chopped tomato, ¼ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp salt.
  7. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Check: The tomatoes should become soft and thick.

Combine · About 5 min

  1. Fold in the mashed eggplant.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  3. Turn off the heat.
  4. Scatter 1 tbsp chopped coriander over the bharta.

Tips

  • Oven roasting gives less smoke than flame roasting.
  • The yield is for side portions; rice or bread is a separate accompaniment.

Substitutions

  • Use neutral oil instead of ghee if listed.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.
  • For sauces and soups, add a little water if thick and reheat gently. Crisp coatings soften after storage.

Make ahead

  • Roast eggplant one day ahead and refrigerate its drained flesh.

FAQ

How soft should eggplant be?

The flesh should collapse and mash easily.

Is oven roasting smoky?

It gives less smoke than flame roasting.

How should I store baingan bharta?

Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.

Recipe source and adaptation

Measured home adaptation: Dassana Amit: Baingan Bharta Recipe (Mashed Eggplant).

Uses the source’s oven-roasting option; timings reflect oven cooking.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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