Learn How to Roast Eggplant for Baingan Bharta and have amazing traditional dish ready. I sometimes even store the roasted eggplant and then make the bharta quickly when ever I want to. Keeping my refrigerator stocked is a great way to easy weekday meals.
I had 20 minutes before I had to appear for an interview, 20 minutes to put my daughter to sleep,
20 minutes to prepare food and be off for the call and in those maddening 20 minutes I decided to set-up a shoot.
It was crazy coz I was expecting V any minute home and take my case if he sees me fitting a shoot in 20 minutes. I still have Goosebumps thinking about the chaos of those minutes.
Anyways, I was making Baingan Bharta and while roasting eggplants, I visualized how these would look in a frame and itched to shoot.
The trick in roasting eggplants is to make sure that you do it on a slow flame and the heat is distributed for even roasting.
Also while selecting the eggplant, carefully check it all over for any holes/ or marks as it could mean that the worm has eaten into it.
Since we will be roasting and consuming without checking the insides, this is the best way to avoid worms in your bharta.
How to Roast Eggplant for Baingan Bharta
Materials
- 2 aubergine eggplants, big
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Carefully check the eggplants for any cuts or holes and discard them for bharta. You can not use an eggplant with hole for bharta as it is a probable indication of worms.
- Wash the selected eggplant thoroughly. Wipe it.
- Brush the oil on the eggplant and place on a wire rack on a slow flame. Allow it to roast slowly. Keep turning it around after a while once the area in contact of flame has become tender.
- In the end, the whole eggplant should be tender, the skin should be able to peel off on its own and the juices should start oozing out.
- Remove from the flame and keep aside to cool down. Place it in a bowl to collect juices which are oozing. After 10 minutes, remove the peel using fingers and gently mash the roasted eggplant along with the juices.
- Repeat for the second eggplant.
- Now you can prepare the 'tadka' for the bharta with some chopped onions, tomatoes, green chili and spices. Add the roasted eggplants and cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with roti or parantha.
Notes
- Keep an eye for holes and discard for use in bharta if the eggplant has holes.
- Roast on slow flame and a wire rack for even distribution of heat.
Thanks a lot for this recipe.
My friend was trying to get this done and she invented many versions of “Barbad Biagan”
This recipe may help her….
Thanks Anirudh, this would surely help her.
I use the same method however at times, I insert garlic cloves inside it before roasting it on direct flame. However pressure cooking with a slit on eggplant is still more healthier. What say?
Thats a nice tip of inserting garlic cloves. I love the char flavour it gets from slow roasting on open fire so I guess I will stick to doing that or may go more primitive and start doing it on charcoal only with time. :)