Baigan Bharta | Smoked Aubergine Chutney

I love baigan/baingan bharta and successfully converted DH to love this wonderful dish too thus I make this more than once a month.  This simple bharta goes well with roti, paratha, rice or even with idly, dosa but I love it with baati.   I have blogged here before baigan aloo bharata, though the recipe is almost similar but I had few pending request to blog to baigan bharta in specific and this time I thought of doing it, I wouldn’t take step vise picture but if you can refer to my baigan aloo bharta post for stepwise pictures.  You can also boil and make this bharta, @ my in-law place it prepared this way and it’s also knows as bhaata chutney but personally I liked only when the eggplant is smoked, it bring the wonderful smoked fragrance to bharta making it more delicious.  A perfect dish to try when you fire up your bbq grill.  Grill eggplant and make barta, you will love that. 
And before moving over to recipe Wish every Happy Tamil New Year.
Ingredients:
Eggplant/Aubergine - 1 medium OR 300 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic – 1/2 tbsp [chopped]
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1 large
Tomato – 1 large
Green Chilli- 3 [to taste]
Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Crushed Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp [optional]
Cilantro – 1-2 tbsp chopped

Method:
1. Wash, pat dry smear oil all over the eggplant (I forgot to apply the oil)
2.  Roast the eggplant in direct flame (medium to slow), rotating eggplant in all direct in regular intervals to gets it roasted properly.  Do this until you see the skin turns black and the eggplant becomes little soggy.  You can also insert a fork or knife in the centre of eggplant to check it's cooked well.
3.  Meanwhile finely chop onion, garlic, green chilli and tomato, keep aside.
4. Once eggplant roasted allow it to cool a bit, remove stem & peel of burnt skin and mash cooked eggplant.
5. In a pan heat oil add cumin seeds and let it crack.
[I used mustard oil for any bharta, you can use any cooking oil]
6. Add chopped garlic and roast until light brown, add chopped onion & chilli and fry until onion turns golden brown in medium heat.
7. Add turmeric and chilli powder and mix well.  Now add tomato and cook until soft, add mashed eggplant, salt, crushed kasuri methi and mix everything well.
8. Cook for 5-8 minutes in slow/medium flame or until everything gets cooked, add cilantro and off flame. 

Variations:
~ You can add 1/2 of garam masala along with salt to that extra kick.  
~ Kasuri methi is optional, you can skip it if you like.
Have a nice day ~~

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