Baingan(Eggplant) ka Bharta
Brinjals!! Not everyone’s favourite right? But I love them in any form. Thankfully my family too shares my love for brinjals. Though there are many varieties of brinjals available, I like these huge purple oblong brinjals which is perfect for making baingan ka bharta. On most occasions, I make a simple brinjal stir fry with a dash of amchur or some times, I make an eggplant rice too. Also the other brinjal delicacies are the Maharashtrian style
bharleli vaangi or the stuffed small brinjals with a spicy filling of peanuts and other spices. I shall soon add them in the blog.
If we talk of the health benefits of brinjal/eggplant/aubergine they are many… Eggplants are rich in anthocyanins, which may protect your heart and keep it healthy. Nasunin, a chemical in eggplant helps to improve blood flow to the brain. The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and phytonutrient content in eggplants support heart health. Moreover, brinjal is low in calories, which aids in weight management. The purple skin of the eggplant is also rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Choose brinjals which are firm, has a shiny skin, no holes or spots and which are not heavier. The heavier ones will have lots of seeds in it. So choose lighter ones. As brinjals tend to oxidise fast, after chopping them, soak it in water. Adding a couple of spoons of curd to this water helps to remove the bitter taste of brinjal, if any.
Ingredients:
- Egg plant 1 big
- Salt to taste
- Sugar a pinch
- Onion 1 big
- Tomatoes 2
- Green chilies 2
- Garlic 3-4 cloves
- Ginger 1 inch piece
- Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
- Red chili powder 1 tsp
- Coriander powder 2 tsp
- Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves 3-4 sprigs
- Refined oil 2 tbsp
- Whole spices (optional)
Method:
- Wash and dry the eggplant. Brush some oil on the egglant and grill or over flame on all sides.
- Remove from fire and allow it to cool.
- Remove the skin and clean it well. With a fork or knife mash up the pulp well.
- If you like your baingan ka bharta to have a strong smokey flavour, at this stage, place the eggplant pulp on a plate. Now keep a bowl in the centre of the plate and add a piece of burning coal and pour a spoon of ghee onto it. Cover it immediately and keep it undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and you will see that the eggplant has a strong smokey flavour.
- Now chop the onion, green chilies, tomatoes, garlic and ginger finely.
- Heat some oil in an iron kadhai and add the cumin seeds. Now add the whole spices like a small piece of cinnamon, few cloves and a bay leaf.
- When they splutter, add the chopped onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic.
- Saute it till the onions are translucent.
- Now add the dry spice powders and cook till the raw smell goes off.
- Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook. Add salt to taste.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked well and mushy, add the brinjal pulp and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Finally add some garam masala powder and stir.
- Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot with steamed rice or rotis or phulkas or nan.
