Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 4 tablespoons oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-inch knob ginger, minced
  • 1-2 Serrano pepper, minced (adjust according to preference)

Spices

  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • Cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Prepare Eggplant

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut eggplant into 1” thick slices. Place them on baking sheet and slather the top of each with oil. Flip each slice and slather with oil again. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
  3. Turn the heat up to a broil for 5 minutes, then remove the eggplants from the oven.
  4. Allow the eggplant to cool, then remove the skin and chop the flesh. Set aside for now.

Prepare Sauce

  1. While the eggplant is baking, add 2 tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Then add cumin seeds.
  2. Once the cumin seeds begin to splutter, add onions and saute for 10 minutes or until the onions turn golden brown.
  3. Add the garlic, ginger, Serrano pepper and spices. Stir-fry for a minute, add tomatoes and mix well.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove lid and stir-fry for another 5 minutes.
  6. Stir in the cooked eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes.
  7. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

History

Dinner at home - Dec 19 2018

Almost burnt down the house. I tried to make the eggplants roasted whole, matching the original recipe, but my kitchen started smoking up after 20 minutes, so I took it out and less the place air out and cool down. The original recipe said to bake the eggplants whole at 500 degrees for 40 minutes. Instead, I cut the eggplant and roasted pieces, which probably had no effect on the recipe.

I used 1 serrano pepper and it had some heat but wasn’t overwhelming. 2 serrano peppers might be too spicy.

When I made this, I had a couple of potatoes left in my fridge, so I boiled though, cut them into pieces and folded them into the dish at the end.

BTW - cilantro was totally optional, doesn’t really need it. Makes it look pretty though:

Baingan Ka Bharta

This recipe made plenty, you can definitely feed a couple of hungry folks and freeze the other half for a future meal.