Baigan Ka Bharta

Ever since I remember, I have relished 'Egg Plant' in all its forms. But my most favorite egg plant recipe is 'Baigan ka Bharta'. Everyone loves their mom's food and so do I but I have honestly not come across a better baigan bharta than what my mom makes. 

Due to my liking for the dish, I have sort of mastered the recipe, however, mommy's touch remains missing!! 

Ingredients:

Big Brinjal - 1 
Large Onion chopped-1 
Large tomatoes chopped - 2
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbspn (ready-made not recommended)
Green Chilies slit - 2 
Peeled garlic cloves - 7-8  
Coriander for garnish 
Cooking oil
Salt
Turmeric powder
Red chilly powder
Amchoor powder
Coriander powder
Garam Masala (optional)
Cumin seeds 

Recipe:

Roasting

• Cut slits on the binjal with a knife and insert peeled garlic cloves into it.  
• Now roast the brinjal by putting it directly onto the gas burner with low/medium flame. Keep turning it every 4-5 minutes. 
• After good 20 - 25 minutes, you will notice that the brinjal has shrunk and has wrinkled skin that can be easily peeled off and garlic and brinjal juices oozing out. 
• Turn the flame off and put the brnjal into a bowl full of water.
• After the brinal comes to the room temperature, you can take it out of water and peel off the skin. 
• Lay the binjal flat on a chopping board and with a knife carefully prick, cut long slits on the brinjal. As you do this also carefully check the brinjal for any worms.  

Cooking:

• In a pan, heat some oil and add cumin seeds. 
• Now add ginger garlic paste and let it cook. Once done, add chopped onions. Idea is to make onions translucent. 
• Once the onions turn pinkish, add tomatoes to it along with salt, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and amchoor powder and close the lid and let this cook at low flame. 
• Keep checking and stirring it every 2-3 minutes until it turns reddish and oil starts to show off on the sides.
• Once the masala is done, add roasted brinjal to this along with green chilies and coriander. Close the lid and let it cook for 15 minutes but keep stirring it every 2-3 minutes. Here we are 'bhunoing' the bharta which adds up to the taste of the dish. 
• If you like, you can sprinkle a pinch of garam masala to this in the end. 

It seems laborious, but it is a very simple dish and comes out really well. You can also put green peas into this. 

Hope you will like it. 

Happy Eating :)