🥘 Ingredients
- eggplant about medium-sized eggplant 1 lb
- Grapeseed
- neutral-flavored oil of choice 1 ½ tbsp
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- medium red onion or yellow onion 1
- garlic cloves 4
- piece fresh ginger 1 inch
- small serrano pepper 1
- ground turmeric ½ tsp
- ground coriander 1 tsp
- kosher salt 1 ½ tsp
- medium plum tomatoes or Roma tomato 2
- Kashmiri red chili powder ½ tsp
- garam masala 1 tsp
- cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 cup
- Vegan naan
If you don’t have leftover rice or ready-to-heat rice, cook 1 1/4 cup dry rice (see Cooked White Rice or Cooked Brown Rice for instructions). Sauté method for the baingan (eggplant): Slice a peeled eggplant into ½-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Heat 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add eggplant and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Cook for 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until it starts to break down. Reduce to medium and cook until soft and jam-like and there’s no resistance, about 20 minutes. Mash the eggplant as described in step 7. You can use the Dhungar method for additional smokiness (instructions are in the FAQ in the blog post). Don't use liquid smoke here. Liquid smoke is best suited for American-style dishes like BBQ or vegan “bacon” and does not vibe well with Indian flavors. Your stove will get messy. Just use a grease-cutting soap and a tough sponge to clean up your stove later. A cleaning solution like Bar Keepers Friend, a baking soda paste, and/or a 1:1 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water will go a long way. Storage: You can prepare the eggplant 5 days in advance; just store it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also make the bharta several days in advance and store it separately. Storage: Leftover baingan bharta will stay good in the fridge for 5 to 6 days; you can also freeze it for a few months with good results. Storage: To reheat, microwave or add to a frying pan on medium-low heat until warmed through.
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1For the baingan: eggplant about medium-sized eggplant , Grapeseed oil or avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice. For the bharta: neutral-flavored oil of choice , cumin seeds , medium red onion or yellow onion , garlic cloves , piece fresh ginger , small serrano pepper , ground turmeric , ground coriander , kosher salt , medium plum tomatoes or Roma tomato , Kashmiri red chili powder , garam masala , cilantro leaves and tender stems . For the for serving: Vegan naan .
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2Smoke the eggplant. Ventilate your kitchen and open the windows. Grab a fan if you have one. Peel any leaves from the top of the eggplant to prevent them from burning. Brush the eggplant with a bit of oil using a pastry brush or your hands, just a light coating. Note: These first five steps are for smoking the eggplant; check out the blog post and Note 2 below for the alternative sauté method.
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3Turn a gas burner on your stove to medium-low heat. (See instructional photos in the blog post here.) Use tongs to hold the eggplant upright (vertically) and hold the bottom of the eggplant over the flame for 3-6 minutes to char the bottom, or until a paring knife can pierce the bottom without too much resistance.
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4Flip the eggplant 180º and use tongs to char the top of the eggplant for 2-3 minutes , but make sure the stem doesn’t directly touch the flame to avoid burning.
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5Place the eggplant onto its side (lying flat, horizontally) and rest it directly on top of the flame, positioning the fatter bottom part directly over the flame. Gently rotate the eggplant every 2 minutes. Once deeply charred and very wrinkly, insert a paring knife into the fattest part: if the knife slides in easily and there is minimal resistance, the bottom is done. If your eggplant was soft/ripe to begin with, it might take 8 minutes. If not, it can take 16 minutes. Now insert a paring knife into the skinnier top part. If it has no resistance, the eggplant is done. If there is a bit of resistance, cook for 4-6 minutes , rotating every 2 minutes, until charred and wrinkly. Note: As the eggplant cooks, it might sizzle a bit and some juice might escape onto your stove. This is normal (see Note 4).
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6Turn off the heat and use tongs to transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Cover with a plate to steam for 5 minutes . Use your hands to peel off the charred papery black flakes. Dip your hands in water to make it easier to peel. It's okay if tiny little black spots remain.
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7Mash the eggplant. Slice off the head of the peeled eggplant. Using a knife, flat ended spatula, or potato masher, mash the flesh of the eggplant, as if you were mincing garlic. Note: If your eggplant was ripe/soft to begin with, it's possible the cooked eggplant will be quite watery. If that's the case, add it to a fine mesh sieve and push down on it with a spoon to squeeze out as much excess water as you can.
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8Make the bharta. Heat the 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute, tossing or swirling frequently to prevent burning. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 minutes , but don’t let them brown. Add the garlic, ginger, serrano peppers, and turmeric, and cook, stirring frequently for 60 to 90 seconds. Add the coriander, salt, and tomatoes, and cook until the oil starts to release from the tomatoes and the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.
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9Add in the mashed eggplant mixture and red chile powder and toss well to combine. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and cook for 3-5 minutes , stirring often and mashing together. Add in the garam masala and chopped cilantro and season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Serve warm with bread or rice of choice.