A homestyle Indian baingan bharta made with pressure-cooked eggplant, fresh tomatoes, peas, and aromatic spices. Finished with kasuri methi, spring onions, and a touch of garlic butter for extra flavor, this comforting dish pairs perfectly with roti or paratha.
- Serves: 4 People
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cooking: 30 minutes
- Difficulties: supereasy
Ingredients
For Cooking
- 3 large Eggplants (baingan)
- 5 stalks Spring onions
- 4 medium Onions
- 1 bulb Garlic
- 1 2-inch piece Fresh ginger
- 4 medium Tomatoes
- 4 whole Green chillies
- 1 cup Fresh peas
- 1 tablespoon Garlic butter
- 1 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Paprika or Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Mango powder (amchur)
- 1 teaspoon Black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 tablespoon Crushed coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon Crushed cumin seeds
- 4 tablespoons Cooking oil
- 5 tablespoons Water
- 2 tablespoons Fresh coriander leaves
For Dressing
Nutritional Information
-
Calories
280 kcal -
Fat
16 g -
Carbohydrates
28 g -
Protein
6 g -
Fiber
9 g -
Sugar
12 g -
Sodium
620 mg
Procedure
-
15 minutesMark As Complete
Prepare the Eggplant and Tomatoes
Wash and pat dry the eggplants, then remove the tops and peel the skin. Cut them into large chunks and soak in water to prevent discoloration while preparing the other ingredients. Peel three tomatoes and chop them into large pieces, keeping one tomato aside for later use.
-
10 minutesMark As Complete
Pressure Cook the Base
Heat a pressure cooker and add two tablespoons of oil. Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, paprika, salt, and eggplant chunks along with four to five tablespoons of water. Stir well, close the lid, and cook for two whistles on medium heat, then turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally.
-
10 minutesMark As Complete
Prepare the Aromatics
Finely chop the onions and spring onions, keeping some spring greens aside for garnish. Chop the green chillies, reserving a few whole if desired. Grind or finely crush the garlic and ginger together to form a coarse paste for cooking.
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5 minutesMark As Complete
Make the Tadka
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and black mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the chopped onions with a pinch of salt and sauté until they soften and lightly change color without fully browning.
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10 minutesMark As Complete
Build the Masala
Add the ginger-garlic paste to the softened onions and sauté until fragrant and the oil begins to release. Stir in turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, mango powder, and chopped chillies. Add peas and chopped fresh tomatoes, mixing well, and cook for about five minutes while stirring occasionally until the peas begin to soften.
-
10 minutesMark As Complete
Combine and Finish
Add the cooked eggplant mixture to the pan along with crushed coriander seeds and crushed cumin seeds. Stir thoroughly and cook for another five to ten minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and excess moisture to evaporate. Finish with garlic butter, crushed kasuri methi, remaining garam masala, and spring onions, then garnish with fresh coriander and whole chillies before serving.
