Baingan Bharta with Roasted Cumin
Baingan Bharta is a North Indian eggplant purée that is roasted over an open flame or in the oven and then enhanced with onions, tomatoes and freshly toasted spices. Served with flatbread or rice, it becomes an aromatic, smoky main course.
By yumbelo · 4 servings · 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 800 g Eggplants
- 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 0.5 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 pc large red onion
- 2 pc garlic cloves
- 1 pc piece of ginger (approx. 2 cm)
- 1 pc green chili
- 300 g ripe tomatoes
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Salt
- 150 g Plain yogurt
- 1 bunch bunch of coriander
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220 °C, top and bottom heat. Wash the eggplants, prick them several times with a fork and bake them on a baking tray for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh is completely soft.
- Take the eggplants out of the oven, let them cool slightly, peel off the skin and roughly chop the flesh with a knife or mash it with a fork.
- Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, then coarsely crush them in a mortar.
- Finely dice the onion, finely chop the garlic, ginger and chili. Dice the tomatoes small.
- Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan, briefly sauté the toasted spices in it, then fry the onion over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger and chili and fry for 1 minute more. Stir in the tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala and salt and let them reduce for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down.
- Stir in the eggplant flesh and simmer everything over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the flavors have come together. If needed, add a splash of water.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the yogurt and season with lemon juice and salt. Roughly chop the coriander and sprinkle it over the top.