Every Indian cusine has its own recipe for this dish. I have been reading about this (‘Baingan ka bhartha’) in many blogs now. So I thought of posting the Konkani recipe of this dish.
At my native, we never had electric boiler to heat water for bath. Instead we have a big iron vessel where water is heated (the vessel is called ‘bhaan’). Dry wood is used to heat water (the arrangement where the fire is put is called as ‘bhaana ranni’). So at the day time, mom used to make smoked eggplant by carefully frying the eggplants in this ‘bhaana ranni’. But as time passed, this method became obsolete. Though people still use this arrangement to heat water, nobody actually uses it for frying eggplant.
I have seen some people who directly keep the eggplant on stove to smoke it. But the problem with this method is, when egg plant is fried, the water starts falling on the burner. So what is the easy way? I felt Pachi’s way as the easiest one. Apply some oil to all sides of eggplant. Keep it on a hot tava and close the eggplant with a vessel and heat the tava. After every five minutes or so, just check if the egg plant is cooked, if yes, turn it. It takes around 10mins to smoke a big eggplant.
This bharth is usually served along with urad-papad (which are very very famous in North Kanara and called as ‘udida happal’ in Konkani. These papads have a strong asafoetida smell) as a side dish with rice.
Ingredients:
Eggplant 1 big
Coconut 1/2 cup
Green chillies or red chillies 3-4
Tamarind 1/2 tea spn
Asafoetida a pinch
Salt
If the eggplants available in India are used, increase the number. After smoking, atleast 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of pulp should remain.
Method:
Smoke the eggplant as explained above.
Remove the skin.
Grind coconut, chillies, tamarind, salt and asafoetida adding very little or no water (since eggplant has a lot of water in it, do not use more water while grinding).
Mash the eggplant with hand and mix it with chutney. (Aayi adds the eggplant directly to mixer/blender before removing the chutney and grind just for one round. Eggpant should NOT be ground completely).
If red chilli is used, raw onion pieces are added to this bharth.
Serve with urad papad.
Serves : 4
Preparation time : 20mins
Shilpaaaa…. I was exactly looking for this recipe. This is the way my MIL makes it. Dont remind me of Bhaan, i love to take bath from the water heated in it. My mamama and pachis, still make the barth /bhajji in ranni ujjo. I do apply oil to the eggplant, else the water will ozze out. I was making bhajji last few weeks after coming here. Was waiting to eat barth, will try this if i am able to get fresh eggplants today at the stores.
Hi,
I have to try this recipe,Shilpa.
Thanks for the step by step procedure.
Vineela
shilpa this is something new to me.is it like chutney? can u have them with rice directly lik a gravy? nice recipe sounds simple .. a must try one..
Thanks Aruna, Vineela.
Sudha, yes, it is like a chutney. As I said, more it is dry, the better. So while grinding the chutney, we should be a bit careful not to add more water. Some people do eat it with rice, but traditionally speaking, it is a side dish.
Hi Shilpa
this looks sooooooo delicious .. i tried some totally diff recipes of bharta .. but this i never knew … sooooo yummy
Shilpa
Can I broil it? Will it be the same?
Reena, let me know if you like this :).
LG, yes you can broil it, the taste will be much better if it is broiled. Its the same thing I was refering to in the post (the traditional way of smoking the eggplant, but I never got correct word for it 🙁 ).
That’s a good way to roast eggplant. we make something similar. but mix the ingredients in yogurt. I need to try this too. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Hey Shilpa,
I simply love this recipe. My mom use to make this always.
We generally use this as side dish for Mumbri(rice rotti made on banana leaves)
Thanks for posting it.
Krithika, let me know how you liked it.
Gowri, I think you are talking about “vayngana bajji” which is eaten with mumbri. In that dish coconut is not ground to chutney. I will post it soon.
I had never eaten the the one with red chillis and onions, i made it last evening, and i also loved the taste as the normal one. I never knew we could also make it with red chillis. Thanks to your aayi for a different version. Thanks to you too for posting the comment and the bydgi chillis for the taste and colour.
Hi!
Thanks for the reminding my favorite dish. My mom makes the same vaigana bharth and mumbri (akki roti). It is an all time favourtie in my moms house, we all love it.
Thanks
U can try out this also.
Same after smoking and mashing the brinjal with hand. Just had finely chopped onion,(one medium size) grated coconut (1/2 cup)green chilly according to taste and curd. Garnish it with green fresh coriander and salt to taste. This too tastes great.
Why my comments are not to be seen ??
Shilpa: Which comments Sakhee?
My mayi makes Gojju…..mash brinjal, add hing in generous amount [the amchigele way ;)], ground green chillies, salt and coconut oil phanna of mustard seeds.
My aai makes the way sakhee does but minus the coconut and an optional tadka of mustard seeds and little hing. The tadka must be cooled before adding to the bhareet (as we call it) to avoid making the curd go sour.
Smoked Eggplant Bharth Question
Is the coconut called for coconut milk or shredded coconut?
Thanks! I can’t wait try this recipe!
Shilpa: Its shredded coconut