Baingan bharta is a popular Indian dish made with mashed roasted eggplants. It has a savory and spicy taste and is served with Indian bread like roti, poori, paratha, or naan.
Baingan bharta is an easy, flavorful, vegan, and gluten-free recipe for all eggplant lovers and is made by roasting eggplants in the oven or in the air fryer. This recipe uses very little oil.
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Ingredients to make baingan bharta
The best part of making roasted eggplant mash is that it requires very few basic ingredients other than of course eggplants. I have used medium-sized eggplants to make this recipe but large eggplants work well too.
If the eggplants are large, they may not fit in the air fryer, so an oven works well for large eggplants.
Here is a complete list of ingredients
- Eggplants
- Garlic gives this dish its flavor.
- Onions
- Peas (frozen)
- Cumin powder
- Coriander powder
- Salt
- Oil
- Cilantro for garnishing.
- Serrano pepper adds the spiciness and can be adjusted to taste.
How to roast whole eggplant?
To make baingan bharta, whole eggplants can be roasted in the oven or in the air fryer. The eggplants are slit into four to about three fourth of its length and roasted in oven or air fryer.
Once roasted the pulp is scooped and skin is discarded. The pulp is then cooked with spices, garlic, onions, and optionally tomatoes.
How to roast whole eggplant in oven for baingan bharta?
The whole eggplant can be roasted in the oven for baingan bharta even if they are large. Slit the eggplants to about three-fourths and cook them in the preheated oven at 450 deg F for about 25-30 minutes.
Roasting eggplant in air fryer for bharta
To make baingan bharta, eggplants can be roasted in the air fryer as well. Slice the eggplants to three fourth of its length. Optionally tuck in a garlic clove inside each eggplant.
Place them in the air fryer and air fry at 390 deg F for about 20-25 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to remove the eggplants from the air fryer.
How to make baingan bharta?
Once the eggplants are roasted, carefully scoop out all the pulp and discard the skin. Mash the eggplants with a spoon.
Heat a skillet on the cook top on medium flame. Once hot, add the oil followed by chopped garlic, peppers, onions and spices. Cook well until onions are translucent and then add the roasted eggplants and peas.
Cook well for a few minutes until oil oozes out from the sides and then garnish with some cilantro leaves. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice.
How to serve baingan bharta?
It is best to serve baingan bharta when it is hot. It makes a satisfying meal when served with Indian bread like roti, poori, or naan. Garnish it with some cilantro leaves w.
How to store baingan bharta?
Baingan bharta is best served hot. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. When you are ready to eat, reheat it in a microwave and serve hot.
Don't forget to check out these Indian recipes
- Dal bafla (dal bati) in air fryer or oven
- Peas pulao in instant pot
- Sabudana vada in air fryer
- Kala chana masala in instant pot
- Pav bhaji in instant pot
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📖 Recipe
Baingan Bharta in Air Fryer
Equipment
- Convection Oven
Ingredients
Produce
- 4 Eggplants (Medium size)
- ½ cup Onion (chopped)
- 2 tsp Serrano pepper (or to taste)
- ½ cup Peas (Frozen or fresh)
- Cilantro (for garnishing)
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 4-6 cloves Garlic
Oil and spices
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ tbsp Corriander powder
- ½ tsp Salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
Instructions
Cut eggplant
- Rinse the eggplants with water and wipe pat dry
- Slice the eggplants till ¾th length
- Optionally place a garlic clove inside the cut eggplant
Roast eggplant in an Air Fryer
- Place the eggplants in the air fryer basket
- Roast the eggplants in the air fryer at 390°F for 20-25 minutes
Roast eggplant in the oven
- Pre-heat the oven to 450°F
- Place the eggplants in a tray in the oven for about 20 minutes
Make baingan bharta
- Scoop the pulp of the eggplants and mash it.
- Heat a skillet on the cook top and add oil once heated.
- Add chopped garlic, serrano peppers, and onions and saute until onions are translucent.
- Add the salt, coriander powder, and cumin powder and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the mashed eggplants and peas and mix well.
- Cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, optionally sprinkle some lemon juice and cilantro for garnishing
Nisha
Saturday 26th of September 2020
Wonderful share and a great idea to roast eggplant in the air fryer !
Alpa Jain
Tuesday 29th of September 2020
Nisha, indeed, air fryer is a big savior!