Baingan Bharta | Indian Roasted Eggplant Curry | No Onion No Garlic Baingan Bharta

top angle square image of indian eggplant curry placed served in a black bowl

5 from 3 votes

Baingan Bharta | Indian Roasted Eggplant Curry | No Onion No Garlic Baingan Bharta

My take on the popular Punjabi dish baingan bharta without any onion and garlic. Easy baingan bharta recipe with oven-roasted eggplant. A delicious curry that pairs well with roti.

Prep Time50

Cook Time20

Cooling Time30

Total Time1 40

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Keyword: baingan bharta, no onion no garlic baingan bharta

Servings:

Calories: 99kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Equipment

Kadai or Saucepan

Ingredients

Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml;1tbsp=15ml;1tsp=5ml;

3 tbsp oil divided (1 tbsp + 2 tbsp)
1 eggplant large (approx 530 grams)
3 tomatoes chopped, approx 2 cups when chopped
½ cup bell peppers colored ones. I used red, orange and yellow peppers
¼ cup peas if using frozen thaw it to room temperature
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
3 tbsp water

Instructions

Roasting the eggplant in the oven for baingan bharta-

Line a cookie tray or cake pan with aluminum foil. Apply the 1 tbsp of oil over the eggplant and place it in the tray.
Broil in the oven on high mode for 40 minutes, flipping it once in the middle.
When the broiling is complete, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
When the eggplant is easy to handle, remove the skin. It easily comes off. Remove the flesh and mash it thoroughly. I got about 1.5 cups of mashed eggplant.

Preparing the bharta masala-

Heat a pan or kadai over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tbsps of oil.
When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Let it sizzle.
Next, add the chopped tomatoes, salt, and turmeric powder.
Cover and cook till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
Add this stage, add the chopped peppers and peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
Then add the spice powders - red chili powder and the coriander powder.
Mix them well and cook until the raw smell goes off or for about 3 to 4 minutes. Mix the masala for every minute or so.
Now add the mashed eggplant and mix thoroughly.
Let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
Add the chopped cilantro and mix. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Notes

If you prefer a gravy consistency or semi-solid, then add about ½ to 1 cup of water after adding the eggplant. I made it more like a dry curry as we prefer it that way.
As always, adjust the salt and spices according to your preference. I did not add any garam masala. You can add about ½ tsp of garam masala.
Skip asafoetida for a gluten-free version.
As I mentioned before, I made this as a no onion no garlic bharta; you can very well add onion and garlic. You can add 1 cup of chopped onion and 2 tsps of ginger-garlic paste for this recipe. If you are using onion, then add it after the cumin seed sizzles. Saute the onion and GG paste until the raw smell goes away. Then you can add the tomatoes and follow the same procedure as mentioned above.
Peas and bell peppers are optional.

Nutrition