No Gas Stove, No Problem.
This baingan bharta (mashed and seasoned eggplant recipe) is made with oven-baked eggplants and trust me after trying this there are chances that you will never roast eggplants on the gas stove. It saves some rigorous gas cleaning time too 🙂 Try it and let me know.
Story Time
Baingan Bharta has its own story in our home. Once we got married, I came to know that Jatin only enjoys eggplants (baingan) in one form – baingan ka bharta. He doesn’t like aloo baingan ki sabzi, baingan curry, or stuffed baingan. And since we needed some options for the office lunch box, we used to make this recipe once every week. After having it so much, we literally got tired of it. We didn’t cook it for years. Once I thought to reintroduce this recipe because we both loved it a lot, but again we didn’t feel like eating it.
Then we moved to Munich, Germany. I started teaching Indian recipes to people from all across the world. I take classes in Airbnb Experiences. Baingan Bharta was also on the menu. I cooked the recipe for the class with just one eggplant. Since we don’t have a gas stove here, I decided to bake the eggplants. The oven is usually available in all homes across the world. After my session, we sat down to eat the prepared recipes, and once we had the first bite of baingan bharta, we fell in love with it all over again. I am not kidding. Since then, it has found its place back in our hearts. Now I cook it every now and then keeping in mind not to overdo 🙂
What is Baingan ka Bharta?
Baingan bharta is an Indian vegetarian recipe quite popular in the northern part of India. Traditionally for this recipe, the eggplants are roasted in the coal till they are charred. Then the skin is removed and only the soft and mushy flesh part is used. The flesh part is cooked with some onion and tomatoes and seasoned with some basic spices.
With time, the cooking methods have changed. From roasting eggplants in coal to roasting them on the gas stove and now we have a modern technique and that is to use an oven and bake eggplants. All three methods create a different texture and taste but they all taste just amazing. It is one tasty recipe.
Is this recipe Vegan?
Yes. This recipe is vegan and completely plant-based.
More vegan recipes on the website: Vegan Dum Biryani, Kung Pao Tofu, Pindi Chole.
How to roast Eggplants (Baingan)?
There are three methods to roast eggplants for this recipe.
- Hot coal: This method is used in Indian villages. keep the eggplants on the hot coal and cook until soft, mushy, and charred. Cook enough so that the skin can be removed easily. It gives a nice aroma and charred smoky flavor to this recipe. There is no match for that.
2. Fire Roasting: It is difficult to have the arrangement of coal roasting in urban homes. That’s how roasting on the gas stove started. For this method, place the eggplants on the gas stove burner and cook directly with the flame. Cooked until they are soft and mushy. After that, cool them down and remove the skin.
It does give a nice smoky and juicy flavor to the recipe. It is quite an easy and quick method of roasting. But this method creates a lot of mess and needs some cleaning time afterward. Sometimes, even the holes in the burner get choked with the juice of eggplants. My mom always complained about it and now she simply chops eggplants and prepares this recipe. (She is not comfortable with using an oven) Even I never tried this method because who will do all the cleaning 😀
3. Oven Roasting: I find this method the easiest of all. Just need to place the eggplants in the oven and relax. Roast and grill until golden brown. It takes around 30 minutes time. You can roast a whole batch of eggplants in one go. You might miss the smoky and charred flavor of eggplants but you won’t miss the deliciousness of the recipe. It tastes equally good.
Follow this method in the recipe card below.
How to store the roasted eggplants?
Refrigeration: After roasting, you can remove the skin and put the eggplants in an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: You can even freeze the roasted eggplants and use them for up to a month. Put them in a container or zip-lock bag and store them in the freezer. Before use, thaw them either at room temperature or place them in the refrigerator overnight. If I am in a hurry, I thaw them with some hot water.
How to serve Baingan Bharta?
Baingan bharta can be served with some chappatis (roti) or bhakri. You can even serve some sliced cucumber, radish, and green chili on the side as a salad.
What else can we make with roasted eggplants?
You can make plenty of recipes using roasted eggplants.
More Indian Vegetarian Recipes to try
Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make this tasty Indian recipe at home. It is perfect for lunch, brunch, or dinner. If you try this recipe & like it too, please share the photo of your creation on Instagram and tag us @thefearlesscooking. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.
Happy Cooking 🙂
Love from us
Richa & Jatin
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