Name: Baingan Bharta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 3 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 onions; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 green chillies; 3 tomatoes; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 2 large aubergines; 1 tsp neutral oil; 1 tsp garam masala; a large handful coriander leaves; 1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp

1 Fry until golden 10m

2 Cook the masala until thick and the oil separates 18m

4 Mash the aubergine into the masala and cook 10 minutes 10m Mash with a spoon, not a blender. Texture is part of the point.

1 tsp

1 tbsp

2 tsp

1/2 tsp

1 1/2 tsp

3 Char whole over a flame until the skin blisters and collapses 20m 15–20 minutes, turning. It should deflate completely and smell of smoke.

1 tsp

a large handful

1 tbsp

Smoke is an ingredient

Charring the skin directly on a flame does two things: it collapses the flesh into something soft enough to mash, and it deposits phenolic compounds from the burning skin into the flesh underneath. Roasting in an oven cooks the aubergine perfectly well and produces none of that smoke — which is most of what distinguishes bharta from any other aubergine curry.

Notes

Rub the skin with oil first so it blisters and peels away cleanly.
Pierce them once or twice. A sealed aubergine over a flame can burst.
Rest 10 minutes after charring; the steam loosens the skin and it slips off.

Method

Fry until golden

Cook the masala until thick and the oil separates

Char whole over a flame until the skin blisters and collapses

Mash the aubergine into the masala and cook 10 minutes

Smoke is an ingredient

Notes