Dhungare Baingan Bharta - Smoked Eggplant Curry
Dhungare Baingan Bharta (Smoked Eggplant Curry) – with fire roasted eggplant, aromatic spices, and some tangy yogurt is a popular Punjabi dish enjoyed all over India! Serve it with some naan or roti and savor the fiery smokiness of the grill!
Ingredients
For Roasting:
- 3 medium eggplant (brinjal) , rinsed and dried
- 3 cloves garlic , sliced lengthwise
- 1 green chilies , slit lengthwise
- mustard oil , for greasing
For Cooking:
- 2 medium tomatoes , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 1 red onions , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic , minced
- 1 tbsp ginger , minced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 green chilies , finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp cilantro , finely chopped
- salt , to taste
For Smoking:
- 2 piece coal
- 1 tsp ghee
Instructions
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To roast the eggplant, use a knife to make some slits length-wise on the eggplant and insert the garlic cloves. Brush them with mustard oil and put them on a large piece of aluminum foil with the green chili. Wrap them tightly in the foil and then roast them directly on the stove, on a grill, or in the oven at 375°F/190°C for 20 minutes. Once they are tender, let them cool in a separate bowl, and mash them using the back of a fork or potato masher. Slice the roasted green chili and mix it with the mashed eggplants.
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In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add in the cumin seeds, dried red chili, ginger, garlic, onion, and green chilies. Sauté them for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent, but not browned.
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Add in the tomatoes and turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and salt, cooking them for 2-3 minutes. Then, add in the yogurt and continue to cook on medium flame until you see oil on the edges of the mixture.
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Add in the roasted eggplant and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes until it comes together.
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Meanwhile, heat the coal on a stove or the grill using tongs. Once hot, place it in a small bowl in the middle of the eggplant mixture. Drizzle some ghee on top of the coal and quickly place a lid on the pot. Let it sit for 4-5 minutes and then carefully remove the small bowl from the pot and mix the mixture well.
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Garnish with some cilantro and serve with tandoori roti, paratha, or naan! Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t like the strong flavor of the mustard oil, you can reduce its quantity and use regular oil instead. I would really recommend adding in the mustard oil because it adds a wonderful, deep flavor!