EASY BAINGAN BHARTA (Eggplant Mash)| OVEN-ROASTED & GLUTEN-FREE!
Craving a smoky, flavorful, and healthy side dish? This oven roasted, gluten-free Baingan Bharta (Eggplant dish) is absolutely amazing! A classic Indian dish made with roasted and mashed eggplant, aromatic herbs and spices packs in fantastic taste and texture in every bite.
Equipment
- 1 Mortar and pestle optional (you could use a grinder instead)
- 1 Grinder
- 1 Vegetable Chopper
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 large Purple eggplants
- 1 cup Chopped onions Red or yellow onion
- 1 cup Chopped tomatoes Ripe
- 1 cup Green peas (shelled) Frozen or fresh
- 3-4 Green chillies
- 5 Garlic cloves
Spices
- ½ tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ tbsp Red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Salt Adjust to taste
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- ⅛ tsp Asafoetida powder
- 1 tbsp Oil additional 1 tsp oil
Instructions
Roasting Eggplants
- Set the oven to Roast or High Broil (~450 deg F).
- Take 2 large purple eggplants, thoroughly wash them, and pat them dry. Make 3-4 slits across the eggplants and insert sliced garlic cloves into the slits. Then, coat the eggplants with oil.
- Place the eggplants on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. You may turn the eggplants after 20 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, turn the oven off, take out the eggplants and let them cool for about 20 minutes.
Veggie Prep
- Chop onions into about 1/4 of an inch pieces, you can also use a chopper for cutting them uniformly. (Link in the recommended products section).
- Dice tomatoes into 1/4 of an inch pieces. Make a coarse paste with garlic cloves, red chilli flakes and a tbsp of water using a mortar and pestle or a grinder.
- Wash the green peas (fresh or frozen) and set aside.
Eggplant Mash
- Peel off the skin of the roasted eggplants and take out the flesh in a bowl. Mash the eggplant flesh along with the roasted garlic with a spoon or a potato masher for a uniform paste. Discard the stem.
Tempering
- Place a heavy bottomed pan on medium-high heat and add 1-2 tbsp oil. Add asafoetida powder and mustard seeds. It will take about 1 or 1.5 minutes for the mustard seeds to crackle. It is very important to have the mustard seeds crackle, else they taste bitter. Then, add in chopped green chillies, and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped onions and about 1/2 tsp of salt. Salt helps cook the onions faster. Cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- As the onions turn soft and translucent, add in the garlic red chilli paste and about 1 tbsp of water to help the paste cook without getting burnt. You may use additional oil per your preference.
- Cover and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until it loses the raw smell of garlic. Now add about a tsp of oil and turmeric* into it. Mix well.
- Now, add in the cubed tomatoes, and saute for about 30 seconds. Cover and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. At this stage, add coriander powder and mix well.
- Add the eggplant mash and incorporate well. Saute for a minute and add in salt to taste.
- Mix well again and add in the green peas. Cover and let this mixture cook for about 4-5 minutes on low-medium heat.
- Turn off heat and it's ready to be served!
Serving suggestions
- Garnish Baingan bharta with some chopped cilantro and for an extra tangy kick, squeeze some lemon juice on the top.