Punjabi Baingan Bharta Recipe | Smoky, Spicy, Tangy

If you're on the fence about eggplant — and a lot of people are — Baingan Bharta is the dish that changes your mind. It's got the trifecta that makes Punjabi food work: smoky, spicy, tart. Rustic, fast, and one of the best things you can put next to a hot roti. Two things that decide how yours turns out: char the eggplant much harder than feels reasonable, and never rinse the peeled flesh under the tap — smoke is water-soluble and you'll wash the entire dish down the drain. I like my bharta chunky — I want to find a piece of tomato and a ribbon of eggplant in every bite, so I chop the charred eggplant with a knife and let the tomatoes have some body in them. Full written recipe on Substack 👉 https://monadarlingco.substack.com/ I📷 Instagram: / monadarlingco Week 7 of the Punjabi Food Series. Last recipe drops next Monday. Open flame is the gold standard and nothing quite replaces it. But most of these options below get you 80% of the way there, which is a perfectly good place to be on a Tuesday. 1. Oven and then broil. Rub with oil, slit, and put it in a hot oven, I would do 475F, for a good 30 minutes - turn twice in between so it cooks evenly. Then turn on your broiler, and move the eggplants on the top rack, flip often, for maybe 10-20 minutes or until they are blackened and blistered all over. 2. Grill. Charcoal is arguably better than a stovetop burner but a gas grill will work too. Straight onto the grate, lid down, turn occasionally. 3. The dhungar rescue. If you’ve gone the oven route and want the smoke back: once the bharta is finished, set a small steel bowl in the middle of the pan, drop in a piece of red-hot charcoal, pour half a teaspoon of ghee over it, and cover the pan immediately. Two minutes, lid on. Then remove the bowl and stir. 🍆 INGREDIENTS (serves 4) For the eggplant 2 large eggplants (or 3 medium) 1–2 tsp mustard oil, for rubbing Base: 2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds 5–6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 green chilies, finely chopped 2 cups chopped onion 1 tsp salt Spices: 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp roasted cumin powder 1 tsp red chili powder ½ tsp turmeric To build: 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (1½ cups) 1 tsp salt 2 tsp amchoor 1 cup green peas (optional) To finish: ½ tsp garam masala Fresh dhaniya Ginger juliennes Serve with roti and a simple salad.