Baingan Bharta, made with roasted eggplant, is a popular North Indian recipe. I love the distinct, smoky flavor that eggplant gives out, when it is roasted or grilled.

Roasting 

 

As a result of roasting on a gas flame, the skin gets burnt and cracked. It can be somewhat messy. This is when the vegetable starts dripping – it is a sticky liquid that can be hard to pull off of your stove, once it dries up. One of my aunts has this practice of spreading an aluminum foil around the burner. I was quite impressed with this simple tweak!  The liquid drips to the foil which you can discard, without messing up the stove top. If you do not have a gas burning stove top, you can use your grill. I use a pair of tongs to turn the eggplant around constantly, so it is evenly cooked all over. Once its roasted well on all sides, you’ll see that is turns dark and wrinkly.  It is important to let it cool for a few minutes before you start peeling.

 

Roasting eggplant on a gas burning stove top

Roasting eggplant on a gas burning stove top

 

Spices for Baingan Bharta

 

While several North Indian dishes can be heavy on spices, this recipe relies more on the smoky flavor. As a result, this dish uses fewer spices (compared to some other Indian dishes). The main spices I use here are ginger, garlic, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garam masala and coriander powder. If you like it more garlicky, you could add some crushed garlic to the roasted and crushed eggplant.

 

Bell Pepper

 

Because of a huge yield of bell pepper I got from my garden one time, I was adding it to almost every dish! I had so much left over, even after I gave most of it to my friends and neighbors. As you can imagine, I cut up one tiny bell pepper and added it to this dish – honestly, I never had baingan bharta with bell pepper, so I prepared myself for the worst. To my surprise it turned out delicious! In my opinion it made the dish even better. So, I have continued to add bell pepper to this dish if I happened to have some in the fridge. I love it.

 

Why is this Healthy?

Eggplant has a unique range of health benefits, including an ability to help build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, reduce symptoms of anemia, improve cardiovascular health among other things. It is a rich source of vitamin C, K, B6 etc. Roasting is said to be easy on the vitamins – one study found that roasting was actually a good way to preserve the B vitamins. Tomatoes and cilantro are another good source of nutrients in this recipe.

 

While you’re here, don’t forget to check out some of our other delicious eggplant recipes:

 

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Baingan Bharta

This smoky, spicy, eggplant recipe is delectable! Roasted and flavored with North Indian spices, Baingan Bharta is great with hot rotis or steamed rice.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Bell pepper, Cilantro, Eggplant, Garam Masala, Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Red Chili Pepper, Spices, Tomato, turmeric
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 People
Calories 105kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Eggplant
  • 1/4 Cup Tomato - Fine cut
  • 1/4 Cup Onion - Fine cut
  • 1/2 Cup Green Bell Peppers - Fine cut (optional)
  • 1 Teaspoon Ginger & Garlic Paste
  • 1 Pinch Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder - Or cayenne pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Coconut Oil - Expeller pressed
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Wash, dry and set eggplant on flame for roasting- use tongs to turn it around. Once its roasted well on all sides, you'll see that is turns dark and wrinkly; set it aside for cooling for about 5 minutes and then peel the and remove the stalk. Mush it with a spoon or spatula.
  • Make sure you have all ingredients ready for the recipe. 1. Roasted peeled and mushed eggplant 2. Tomatoes 3. Cilantro 4. Turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and garam masala 5. Onions, ginger & garlic paste 6. Green bell pepper (optional).
  • Heat oil in a pan, sauté onions and ginger garlic paste till onions turn golden brown. Add turmeric, chili powder and mix well.
  • Add tomatoes, bell pepper and salt and continue sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes. Add Garam masala, coriander powder and mix well.
  • Add the roasted eggplant to contents in the pan and mix well for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cilantro, stir contents and transfer to serving dish.
  • Serve hot with fresh roti.

Video

Notes

Goes well with hot roti or Wholesome Methi (Fenugreek) Paratha.
* Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Baingan Bharta
Serving Size
 
135 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
105
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Sodium
 
307
mg
13
%
Potassium
 
663
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
18
g
6
%
Fiber
 
8
g
33
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
494
IU
10
%
Vitamin C
 
39
mg
47
%
Calcium
 
21
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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