Dinner · North Indian

Baingan bharta

Name: Baingan bharta
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 1 large aubergine (bharta baingan, the round purple one); 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 tomatoes, chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 green chillies, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder; 2 tbsp mustard oil (or any oil), salt, coriander

Smoky fire-roasted aubergine mashed with tomato, onion and spices. Cheap ingredients, huge flavour.

35 min Serves 3

Method

1
Rub aubergine with a little oil. Char directly on a gas flame, turning often, until skin blackens and flesh is soft - 8-10 minutes. Rest 5 min, then peel and mash roughly.
2
Heat oil in a kadai. Splutter cumin, fry chilli and onion till soft.
3
Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 1 minute. Add tomato and spices. Cook till oil separates.
4
Fold in mashed aubergine. Cook 5-7 minutes, mashing further. Finish with coriander. Serve with roti or bajra roti.

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