Baingan Ka Bharta

Baingan Ka Bharta

baigan ka bharta

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 large eggplant(round shape)/bhartha baingan
• 
  
• 5 to 6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped, about 1 heaped tsp of finely chopped garlic
• 1 green chili, chopped

• 5-6 whole red chili 

• salt as required

    1 ts zeera 

•     1/2 cup  Tamarind paste
•    1/2 cup mint leaves 
•     3-4 green chili finely chopped

• INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rinse the baingan (eggplant) in water. Pat dry with a kitchen napkin. Apply some oil all over and keep it for roasting on an open flame. You can also grill the baingan or roast in the oven. But then you won't get the smoky flavor of the baingan. Keep the eggplant turning after a 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that its evenly cooked. You could also embed some garlic cloves in the baingan and then roast it.
2. Roast the aubergine till its completely cooked and tender. With a knife check the doneness. The knife should slid easily in aubergines without any resistance. Remove the baingan and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools down.
3. You can also do the dhungar technique of infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the baingan. This is an optional step. Use natural charcoal for this method. Heat a small piece of charcoal on flame till it becomes smoking hot and red.
4. Make small cuts on the baingan with a knife. Place the red hot charcoal in the same plate where the roasted aubergine is kept. Add a few drops of oil on the charcoal. The charcoal would begin to smoke.
5. As soon as smoke begins to release from the charcoal, cover the entire plate tightly with a large bowl. Allow the charcoal smoke to get infused for 1 to 2 minutes. The more you do, the more smoky the baingan bharta will become. I just keep for a minute. Alternatively, you can also do this dhungar method once the baingan bharta is cooked, just like the way we do for dal ka baghaar
6. Peel the skin from the roasted and smoked eggplant.
7. Chop the cooked eggplant finely or you can even mash it.
8. In a wok  or pan, heat oil. Then add finely chopped garlic.
9. Saute the garlic till translucent. Don't brown them.
10. Add whole red chilies salt and zeera and saute for a minute.
11. Add the chopped cooked baingan.
12. Bhuno (saute) the egg plant till the oil starts separating from the mixture.
13. Add Tamarind paste
14. Stir and mix the 
15. Stir and mix the tamarind paste very well with  mixture.
16. Finally stir in the green chilies and mint  leaves with the baingan ka bharta or garnish it with them. Serve Baingan ka Bharta with phulkas, rotis or chapatis. It goes well even with bread, toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or zeera rice.