Baingan Bharta (Air Fryer Recipe)
Serve this Punjabi style buttery, spicy and slightly tangy baingan bharta as a dip with naan or roti or as a side dish with rice or even stuff it between two slices of bread to make an eggplant panini, this air fryer baingan bharta recipe is a keeper if you love the smokey flavors of chargrilled eggplants!!
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 Medium-sized Italian Eggplants
- 3 Medium-sized vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 Medium-sized red onion
- 1 TSP Cumin/Jeera
- 1 TBSP Turmeric
- 2 Red chilies - preferably Thai chilies
- Salt to taste
Instructions
HOW TO ROAST THE EGGPLANTS IN AIR FRYER
- Brush the unpeeled, whole eggplants with oil. Place eggplants in the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 400F for 25 minutes.
HOW TO ROAST THE EGGPLANTS ON STOVE TOP
- Brush the unpeeled, whole eggplants with oil. Using a fork, make holes all over the eggplants. Place eggplants directly on the flame. Keep the heat to medium. Keep a watchful eye.
- Allow eggplants to roast over the flame for 20-30 minutes. The larger the eggplant, the longer it will take to roast.
HOW TO MASH THE ROASTED EGGPLANTS
- To check if the eggplants are completely roasted, insert a fork or a knife into the eggplants. The knife/form should go right in.
- Let the eggplants cool.
- Once cool, peel the skin off the flesh. The skin will come off easily. You can chop off the stem of the eggplant at this point.
- Using a wooden spoon or a potato masher, mash the eggplants into a smooth pulp.
HOW TO PREPARE THE ONION-TOMATO MASALA FOR THE BHARTA
- Heat oil in a non stick pan. Once the oil is hot, add 1 tea spoon cumin seeds. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Then add in the chopped chilies and cook for a minute.
- Next add the chopped onion, salt, turmeric powder. Cook till the onion is translucent. For about 3 to 4 minutes on med heat.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, lower the heat and cover the pan for 8 to 9 minutes. Covering that pan will help cook the tomatoes faster. You know your onion tomato masala is ready when the oil would be oozing out and the tomatoes are uniformly cooked and have a sauce like texture.
- Add the mashed roasted eggplant into the pan and mix well. Cook the bharta for another 5 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often. Stir in the chopped cilantro and mix.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, lower the heat and cover the pan for 8 to 9 minutes. Covering that pan will help cook the tomatoes faster. You know your onion tomato masala is ready when the oil would be oozing out and the tomatoes are uniformly cooked and have a sauce like texture.
ADD THE MASHED ROASTED EGGPLANTS TO THE MASALA BASE
- Finally, add the mashed eggplants to the masala base and cook on low heat for another 8 to 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Turn off the heat and finish off with lots of fresh chopped cilantro.
- Enjoy with your naan or roti.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!