Vegan Smoky Eggplant Bhartha
This silky, smooth and flavorful eggplant dish is my favorite. It’s well known as Baigan Bhartha that literally means “Eggplant mash”. In Gujarati, specifically Kathiyawadi we call it Oro/Odo.
It’s so creamy and flavorful due the smoky charred flavor the eggplant which it gets from being roasted on open flame. It’s basically spicier version of baba ghanouj. My mom would serve it with millet flour rotlas (thicker version of rotis) served with side of garlic chutney and Indian style buttermilk/savory lassi. I loved it with chapatis or rotis too.
When I moved to USA, I was unable to have it as B, my husband does not really like it. So, I would only make it when I am eating alone or have friends over. The grilling process can be a bit messy, so better line your stove with foil for easy clean up.
The smoky flavor of the charred eggplant and sweetness from onions and tomatoes with spices make it so delicious. It can be served as main dish or even as an appetizer. If you grill it outdoors it is so convenient, no smokiness indoors and kitchen also stays cool and clean.
I have used some basic spices that we use in our masala dabba. You can omit the garam masala if you like and make it light on spices. Because, it will still taste so good without adding too many spices.
Usually, we make it during winters as eggplants are readily available and somehow it has been a winter dish in my family.
The way to make it is to char the eggplant and then everything is sauted with spices and literally the dish can be prepared in few minutes. All it takes time is to char the eggplant.
Some people add fresh peas to the dish and even methi/fenugreek taste good if you have some on hand. You can literally make a huge dish and save it for later. It can be easily refrigerated/frozen. It does not change the texture. It develops more flavor.
I also love to eat it with corn meal rotis. So, if you have corn meal tortillas it tastes really good with it too.
Try this delicious, creamy, silky and smoky Bharta.
Vegan Smoky Eggplant Bhartha
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Pinch Asafetida
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 green chili chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 Tomato chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Cumin- Coriander powder optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Garam masala optional
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili powder
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro to garnish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Rub the eggplant with little bit of oil, make slits in them so while roasting them steam gets to escape, and grill them over an open gas flame or outdoor grill until the skin is charred and eggplant is cooked through. Keep turning the sides of the eggplant using tongs until it is charred from all sides.
- Set the eggplant aside to cool while you chop the onions and tomatoes.
- Once it has completed cooling off, peel the charred skin off the eggplant. I remove the seeds also as I am not a fan of the seeds. You can either leave the seeds or remove them. Roughly mash the eggplant with the back of your fork.
- Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida. Followed by grated garlic, chilies and onions. Sauté for a minute or until onions are translucent. Add in the tomatoes and cook down.
- Add the salt and spices and give it a stir
- Add the mashed eggplant.
- Stir, cover, and cook on a low heat for about few minutes.
- Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve warm with phulka rotis or chapatis.
Notes
- Make sure to make slits in the eggplant for the steam to escape.
- Eggplant needs to be roasted on all sides. Don’t leave eggplant out of sight.
- You can avoid all the spices and still make it just with green chili.
- Alternatively, you can roast the eggplant covered in foil in an oven at 400 F for 15 minutes.
- You can also use fresh green garlic or green onions in the recipe. Use white part while sautéing and green to garnish.
XOXO, Devangi