Baingan Bharta

Rinse the baingan (eggplant or aubergine) in water

Pat dry with a kitchen napkin

Apply some oil all over and

keep it for roasting on an open flame

You can also grill the baingan or roast in the oven

But then you won't get

the smoky flavor of the baingan

Keep the eggplant turning after a 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that its evenly

You could also embed some garlic cloves in the baingan and then roast it

Roast the aubergine till its completely cooked and tender

With a knife check the doneness

The knife should slid

easily in aubergines without any resistance

Remove the baingan and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools

You can also do the dhungar technique of infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the baingan

This is an optional step

Use natural charcoal for this method

Heat a small piece of charcoal on flame till it becomes smoking hot and red

Make small cuts on the baingan with a knife

Place the red hot charcoal in the same plate where the roasted

aubergine is kept

Add a few drops of oil on the charcoal

The charcoal would begin to smoke

As soon as smoke begins to release from the charcoal, cover the entire plate tightly with a large bowl

charcoal smoke to get infused for 1 to 2 minutes

The more you do, the more smoky the baingan bharta will

I just keep for a minute

Alternatively, you can also do this dhungar method once the baingan bharta is

cooked, just like the way we do for Dal Tadka

Peel the skin from the roasted and smoked eggplant

Chop the cooked eggplant finely or you can even mash it

In a kadai or pan, heat oil

Then add finely chopped onions and garlic

Saute the onions till translucent

Don't brown them

Add chopped green chilies and saute for a minute

Add the chopped tomatoes and mix it well

Bhuno (saute) the tomatoes till the oil starts separating from the mixture

Now add the red chili powder

Stir and mix well

Add the chopped cooked baingan

Stir and mix the chopped baingan very well with the onion­tomato masala mixture

Season with salt

Stir and saute for some more 4 to 5 minutes more

Finally stir in the coriander leaves with the baingan bharta or garnish it with them

Serve Baingan Bharta with

phulkas, rotis or chapatis

It goes well even with bread, toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or jeera rice