Mess free Baigan Bharta

I love the smoky taste of Baigan bharta but at times you are just not in the mood to do all the roasting, peeling the charred skin and then cleaning the mess. Thats when this easy way makes it so cook friendly.

I had made it a while ago for my lunch box. You know by now about my Telugu neighbor Durga Rani yeah the same one who served us treats when we came back tired from college. She would make a baigan chutney by simply frying the baigans and grinding with green chilies and cilantro. This dish is inspired by that chutney but made like a bharta with raw onions in it along with a few other things.

Also the best thing is this bharta is made with any sized baigans/ eggplants. You don't have to go in search of a big royal purple eggplant.

So here you go.

Ingredients

250 gms chopped eggplants/ baigan/ vangi
1 large onion shredded fine.
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2-3 green chilies chopped fine.
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
some chopped cilantro for garnish
salt to taste

Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add the asafoetida. Fry the the chopped eggplants. Cover and cook till soft.

Now in a chutney grinder make a paste of the cooked and seasoned baigans. Remove to a big bowl and mix in the chopped raw onions, tomatoes, green chilies and salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

It goes well with tandoori rotis and phulkas. Sometimes I use this bharta as a dip with papads and crackers.