Air fryer baingan bharta, Eggplant bharta in air fryer

Air fryer Baingan bharta/ Air fryer eggplant bharta is a very flavorful and delicious dish prepared by adding roasted and mashed baingan/ eggplant to spices. Traditionally baigan bhartha is prepared by roasting eggplant in direct flame which is actually the speciality of the dish as the flavors created is magical. But you need lots of patience as it takes time to roast. I have zero level patience and stopped making it at home so whenever I go to restaurants I make sure to order this.

Now that this pandemic is going on I thought why not make the work simple by roasting /baking it in air fryer. Trust me this is my very first attempt in making baingan bhartha in Air fryer and the simplified version too tasted so yum without involving much effort. You can try doing the same in the oven too but personally I have not tried it but have heard friends talk about it.

Baingan bhartha/ Eggplant bhartha is made differently by everyone but this recipe here is just like the one my MIL prepares and we relish it with hot roti at home. Speaking about the technique my mom makes a traditional Andhra curry with roasted eggplant with tamarind and I shall post that soon. I sometimes feel really happy because being born in Andhra brahmin family and married to a Urdu speaking Muslim family and lIving in abroad has allowed me explore and taste variety of dishes and is sometimes confusing too😂😂

I prepared this dish in the month of May and somehow forgot to post it this long and you shall check my other recipes below:

If you were just like me missed eating/ making eggplant bharta due to the cleaning/ impatience then try this air fryer version and you shall love it too. So let’s get to the making of Baingan bharta!!!

Air fryer baingan bharta, Eggplant bharta in air fryer

2020-09-24 23:16:00

Serves 2

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

50 min

Total Time

1 hr 5 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

50 min

Total Time

1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

1. Baingan/ Aubergine/ Eggplant – 1
2. Onion – 1 (medium sized, chopped finely)
3. Tomato – 1 (large, chopped finely)
4. Green chili - 1 (chopped finely)
5. Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tsp
6. Red chili powder – ½ to 1 tsp
7. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
8. Cumin powder – ½ tsp
9. Coriander powder – ¼ tsp
10. Coriander leaves/ Cilantro – 1 tbsp
11. Ghee – 1 tbsp
12. Cumin seeds/ Jeera – ½ tsp
13. Oil – 1 tsp (for eggplant)

Note

* 1 cup = 235 ml

Instructions

Preheat air fryer at 350F. Wash the eggplant/ baingan. Wipe the baingan/ eggplant and apply oil to aubergine and place in the aluminum foil. Apply a tsp oil and wrap it in the fool. Now place it in the air fryer basket and cook for 30 minutes with one time flip after 15 minutes. So 15 + 15= 30 minutes of air frying.
After 30 minutes remove the baingan from the air fryer with tongs as it will be super hot. Remove the foil and prick the eggplant with fork to check if it cooked fully. If yes peel the skin and it will come off easy when you pull it.
Now place the roasted eggplant in a bowl and mash it well using a masher that aroma will be super tempting I say.
Heat ghee in a kadai/ pan to it add cumin seeds when it crackles add chopped onion and chopped green chili. Saute well. When the onions look sauteed add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
When the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder. Saute well and allow the tomatoes to get cooked in medium flame.
When tomatoes look soft and mushy add the mashed baingan/ eggplant. Mix well and let everything get combined. After a minute when everything looks combined garnish it with chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves. Serve it with roti.

By Sandhya Riyaz

Sandhya's recipes https://www.sandyathome.com/

How to make Air fryer baingan bharta with step by step images

Preheat air fryer at 350F. Wash the eggplant/ baingan. Wipe the baingan/ eggplant and apply oil to aubergine and place in the aluminum foil. Apply a tsp oil and wrap it in the foil. Now place it in the air fryer basket and cook for 30 minutes with one time flip after 15 minutes. So 15 + 15= 30 minutes of air frying.
After 30 minutes remove the baingan from the air fryer with tongs as it will be super hot. Remove the foil and prick the eggplant with fork to check if it cooked fully. If yes peel the skin and it will come off easy when you pull it.
Now place the roasted eggplant in a bowl and mash it well using a masher that aroma will be super tempting I say.
Heat ghee in a kadai/ pan to it add cumin seeds when it crackles add chopped onion and chopped green chili. Saute well. When the onions look sauteed add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
When the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder. Saute well and allow the tomatoes to get cooked in medium flame.
When tomatoes look soft and mushy add the mashed baingan/ eggplant. Mix well and let everything get combined. After a minute when everything looks combined garnish it with chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves. Serve it with roti.