Recipes
Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)
Serves 4
| Prep Time: 10 mins
| Cook Time: 45 mins
| Total Time: 60 mins
You may need: Kashmir Masala
Discover The Recipe
This vegan Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta) dish is loaded with flavor and immensely satisfying. It's also easy enough to make on a weeknight but delicious enough to serve to your most discerning dinner guests as an appetizer or side. Baingan Bharta is a popular curry dish in both Pakistan and India and we can see why. While the preparation of the eggplant (roasting and mashing) is similar to cooking baba ghanoush, the flavors in this dish will transport you to your favorite South Asian restaurant instead of to the Middle East.
Grill some lamb chops or chicken and serve this recipe as a side dish with naan bread or pita chips. Or, you can add your favorite cooked protein to this dish once done and make it a main. Our Kashmir Masala is a blend that honors the spices and flavors of Northern Pakistan and India. Kashmir is a disputed region in the Westernmost part of the Himalayan mountains spanning the region between Pakistan, India, and China. Use this blend in curries, stews, dahls (lentils), & soups.
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, sliced lengthwise in half
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper to taste (optional)
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp (~3" long) peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Kashmir Masala
1 lb (~4 medium) ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (optional)
Notes
Roasting eggplant in the oven is the easiest (and best!) way to prepare eggplant for this dish. Place the cut halves (skin-on) in the oven on a roasting pan and walk away. To save time (or make extra), roast ahead of time and scoop out the flesh from the shells then refrigerate or freeze.
You can also dice the eggplant and pan roast on the stovetop in a pan. You'll have to adjust cooking time, but you'll want the eggplant to end up soft enough to scoop out of the skins.
In winter months, if you don’t find decent, ripe tomatoes in the market, use canned tomatoes, which are canned hours after being picked and offer great flavor year-round.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
Instructions
First, preheat oven to 400 deg. While the oven is heating, slice the eggplants and drizzle ~2 Tbsp oil on the cut halves. Season the eggplant and place cut side down on a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook ~35-40 mins or until the eggplant skin is easily pierced with a knife. Remove and cool.
About 20 mins after the eggplant is in the oven roasting, heat a large heavy-bottom pan or skillet on Med-High. Chop the onions while it heats. Then, add 2 Tbsp of oil along with onions to the pan. Stir to mix and cook 10 mins or until onions begin to soften. Prep remaining fresh ingredients while the onions cook, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, ginger, salt, and Kashmir Masala spices to the onions. Stir to combine and cook for 1 min. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 mins, stirring to mix. Reduce heat to Med, and simmer the mixture while tending to the eggplant.
The eggplant should already be removed from the oven and cooling. Carefully scrape the flesh from the skins with a spatula, fork, or spoon, discarding the skins. Mix the eggplant and cilantro into the tomato / onion mix and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 more mins. Serve hot or cold with pita chips or naan bread.
Alternatives & Substitutions
Kashmir Masala is a curry-style spice that you can sub into just about any recipe calling for curry powder.
Here's a link to 37 curry recipes where you might use the Kashmir Masala blend instead.
Try using Kashmir Masala to make this Chickpea Masala Buddha Bowl recipe, our vegan Aushak, or a vegan Lobia ka Salan (Curried Black Eyed Peas) for other plant-based, nutritious, and flavor-packed meals.
Need to add some protein for a heartier meal? Pan roast some chicken then shred with a fork (see step 1 of the recipe). Add to the eggplant curry (baingan bharta). If you eat beef, we have a fantastic Kashmiri Beef Curry recipe!
Be sure to leave comments and feedback on your meals and experiments in the comments for others to read.
Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!
Eggplant Curry (Baingan Bharta)
Serves
4
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
60 mins
Piquant Post spice you'll need: Kashmir Masala
Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, sliced lengthwise in half
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt & pepper to taste (optional)
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp (~3" long) peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2 Tbsp Piquant Post Kashmir Masala
1 lb (~4 medium) ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves (optional)
Instructions
First, preheat oven to 400 deg. While the oven is heating, slice the eggplants and drizzle ~2 Tbsp oil on the cut halves. Season the eggplant and place cut side down on a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook ~35-40 mins or until the eggplant skin is easily pierced with a knife. Remove and cool.
About 20 mins after the eggplant is in the oven roasting, heat a large heavy-bottom pan or skillet on Med-High. Chop the onions while it heats. Then, add 2 Tbsp of oil along with onions to the pan. Stir to mix and cook 10 mins or until onions begin to soften. Prep remaining fresh ingredients while the onions cook, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, ginger, salt, and Kashmir Masala spices to the onions. Stir to combine and cook for 1 min. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 mins, stirring to mix. Reduce heat to Med, and simmer the mixture while tending to the eggplant.
The eggplant should already be removed from the oven and cooling. Carefully scrape the flesh from the skins with a spatula, fork, or spoon, discarding the skins. Mix the eggplant and cilantro into the tomato / onion mix and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 more mins. Serve hot or cold with pita chips or naan bread.
Notes
Roasting eggplant in the oven is the easiest (and best!) way to prepare eggplant for this dish. Place the cut halves (skin-on) in the oven on a roasting pan and walk away. To save time (or make extra), roast ahead of time and scoop out the flesh from the shells then refrigerate or freeze.
You can also dice the eggplant and pan roast on the stovetop in a pan. You'll have to adjust cooking time, but you'll want the eggplant to end up soft enough to scoop out of the skins.
In winter months, if you don’t find decent, ripe tomatoes in the market, use canned tomatoes, which are canned hours after being picked and offer great flavor year-round.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.
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