Baingan Bharta Recipe | Roasted Eggplant Mash

Wash and pat dry a medium sized eggplant. Make 4 slits lengthwise from top to bottom on the eggplant.
1 Medium (500 gm) Eggplant (Baingan)
Insert 1-2 cloves of garlic along with their peel in each slit. This will hold the slits open and let the eggplant get roasted thoroughly from inside.
6 Garlic Cloves
Rub some oil all over the eggplant.
Make a lengthwise slit on the green chillies. Also make 2 lengthwise slits on the tomatoes. Rub oil over the tomatoes & chillies as well.
2 Green Chillies, 2 Large Tomatoes
You can roast the eggplant over flame, in the oven or in airfryer. I have roasted the eggplant in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the eggplant, tomatoes and green chillies on a lined baking tray and place them in the oven.
After 10 mins take out the green chillies and flip over the eggplant and tomatoes. Bake for 10 more mins.
Take out the tomatoes and let the eggplants bake for 15-20 more mins till they are soft & cooked. Then broil them on high setting for 5-10 minutes to develop a charred skin to get the smoky flavor.
In the meantime, remove the skin from the tomatoes.
Mash or chop the roasted tomatoes and set them aside.
When the eggplant is roasted, remove it from the oven. Peel the skin from the eggplant or cut it and scoop out the pulp. Also peel the garlic cloves.
Mash or chop the eggplants, green chillies and garlic cloves.

Heat some mustard oil in a pan. Add some black mustard seeds (rai) and let them crackle. Then add cumin seeds (jeera) and heeng (asafoetida) and roast for a few seconds.
1 Teaspoon Rai (Black Mustard Seeds), 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 1 Tablespoon Mustard Oil (Sarson Ka Tel), 1/4 Teaspoon Heeng (Asafoetida)
Add some finely chopped onions to the pan.
1 Large Onion
Also add some ginger paste. Fry the onions on medium-high flame, till they start to turn golden brown.
1 Inch Piece of Ginger
Then add turmeric powder (haldi), red chilli powder, coriander powder (dhania), garam masala and salt. Cook for a minute.
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi), 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Teaspoon Salt, 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)
Add the chopped roasted tomatoes to the pan.
Cook the gravy for 2-3 minutes till it starts to leave oil on the sides.
Add the mashed eggplants green chillies and garlic to the gravy.
Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, till the vegetables and spices are well incorporated.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves to the bharta.
1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves (Cilantro or Dhaniya)
Mix well and cook for a minute. Then turn off the heat.
Baingan Bharta is ready. Serve it hot with fresh chapati, naan, or any other Indian bread.