Punjabi Baingan Bharta is just one of the several versions of Eggplant Bharta

there are in Indian cooking. The word 'Bharta' (pronounced BH!!"taah#

refers to dishes in which the ingredients are roughl$ %ashed either before or
after the dish is prepared. Bhartas are largel$ &orth Indian in origin and %ade
fro% all sorts of vegetables. This version of Baingan 'a Bharta is also reall$
eas$ to %ake. (erve it with hot )hapatis and $our favorite *aal dish. This
recipe serves +, as a side dish.
Ingredients-
. %ediu%"si/ed eggplants (roughl$ 011g%s2 3 pound#
4 tbsps vegetable2 sun5ower2 canola cooking oil
3 tsp cu%in seeds
4 %ediu%"si/ed onions chopped 6ne
3 tbsp garlic paste or garlic chopped ver$ 6ne
37 piece of ginger grated 6ne
4 green chillies (optional but the$ give the Bharta a nice kick8#
4 large to%atoes chopped 6ne
324 tsp coriander powder
324 tsp cu%in powder
324 tsp gara% %asala (see link below for recipe to %ake $our own#
4 tbsps 6nel$ chopped fresh green coriander
Preparation-
Baingan 'a Bharta re9uires that the eggplant be roasted. This can be done in
several di:erent wa$s-
!oast on a gas cooktop b$ just placing the eggplant straight on the burner
and keeping the 5a%e on low setting. 'eep turning and cooking till all the
skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner 5esh looks reall$ soft. ; good
sign to watch for is that the eggplant see%s to 'cave in' on itself8
<rill in $our oven grill or on $our barbecue grill. ;gain, keep turning
periodicall$ till all the skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner 5esh
looks reall$ soft.
'!oast' in $our oven till all the skin on the eggplant is charred and the inner
5esh looks reall$ soft.
=nce the eggplant is roasted, allow to cool full$ and then peel o: and discard
the charred skin. =nce cool, coarsel$ %ash and keep aside for later use.
&ow set up a pan on %ediu% heat and add the cooking oil. >hen hot, add
the cu%in seeds and cook till the spluttering stops.
;dd the onions and fr$ till soft and translucent.
;dd the garlic and the ginger and fr$ for 3 %inute.
;dd the to%ato and all the powdered spices, including the gara% %asala.
(tir well and cook for ."0 %inutes, stirring often to prevent the spice %i? fro%
sticking to the pan. (prinkle a little water if needed.
&ow add the eggplant and %i? well. ;dd the chopped fresh coriander and
stir. )ook another %inute and turn o: the heat.
(erve hot with )hapatis or !ice and $our favorite *aal dish.