Smoky eggplant roasted and mixed with herbs, onion and tomatoes loaded with small shreds of ginger garlic, offers an exceptional finger-licking tang of the roasted tender vegetable, making it a super tasty pure vegetarian vegan meal, apt for breakfast, lunch or dinner feast.
Baigan bhartha is made from fire-roasted eggplant cooked with spices and it has a subtle zing and sharpness masked in delectable smoky undertones of the grilled smokey eggplant. This is one of the most popular mouthwatering tangy vegan Punjabi dhabha recipes’ served with tandoori roti, salad and lemon wedges.
Basic information
Punjabi dhaba style Baingan bharta is a spicy traditional eggplant vegetable dish prepared in multiple healthy and delicious ways.
Freshly picked eggplant is roasted on charcoal ovens in villages, but in the western home kitchens, it is mostly cooked over bare gas flame, or under the broiler, or a grill. The vegetable gets tender on grilling and then it is mixed with crisp onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.
Eggplant is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent from where it spread to South-East and Eastern Asia, and then to the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. Baingan translates into the eggplant, while, bharta meaning mashed or mixed consistency.
Baigan bhartha is often made with smaller or mid-sized Italian eggplants, instead of the American Globe Eggplant, or it can be made with the sweeter versions. It is liked for the delightful and magical garlicky smoky flavours merged in herbs and tomato sauce.
In rural Indian homes, the Eggplant is roasted over charcoal and raw onion, green chillies and mustard oil is added to the smokey tender Eggplant to get a pungent aromatic version, often served with cornmeal roti ( or wheat roti), buttermilk, salad and pickles, or with a lentil soup and rice.
Restaurant –based Baigan bhartha is a popular Punjabi plant-based, super-thrifty dish prepared with an addition of warm spices served with ubiquitous rice and bread. Roadside eateries use charcoal or hot barbecue, griddle or open flame, to char the aubergines to get the accurate tenderness that can be combined with other ingredients to get a rich creamy dish.
The Punjabi version is made with tomato puree, ginger garlic paste and herbs that are often cooked in mustard oil in a pan.
The meal can be paired with lentil soup or paneer recipe for a dinner meal. It can be served as an entree with piping hot roti or small naans for a unique party appetizer.