Baigan bharta, also spelled ''baingan'' ''bharta'' or ''baigan chokha'' (mashed eggplant) is an Indian dish prepared by mashing or mincing grilled

eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

(''baigan'') with tomato, onion, herbs and spices, with variations being common from chef to chef. Traditionally, cooking the eggplants over charcoals, inside of a

tandoor A tandoor ( or ) is a large vase-shaped oven, usually made of clay. Since antiquity, tandoors have been used to bake unleavened flatbreads, such as roti (as well as leavened ones, such as naan) and to roast meat. Tandoors are predominantly use ...

barbecue grill A barbecue grill or barbeque grill (known as a barbecue in Canada and barbecue or barbie in Australia and New Zealand) is a device that cooks food by applying heat from below. There are several varieties of grills, with most falling into one of t ...

or oven, or even directly applying flame to the outside of the fruit infuses the dish with a smoky flavour; the blackened skin is then easily peeled and the eggplant may be further prepared. Baigan bharta is most often grilled, minced eggplant stewed with chopped tomato, browned onion or shallots,

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

cumin Cumin (, ; ; ''Cuminum cyminum'') is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the Irano-Turanian Region. Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the cuisines of many cultures in both whole ...

, and topped with lime or lemon juice, fresh

cilantro Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the leaves as ha ...

(coriander leaves) and sliced fresh green

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

. Depending on region and personal tastes,

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia. It is commonly used for cooking, as a Traditional medicine of India, traditional medicine, and for Hinduism, Hindu religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by ...

(clarified butter) may be used in preparation of the dish. In some regions where

mustard oil Mustard oil can mean either the pressed oil used for cooking or a pungent essential oil, also known as volatile oil, of the mustard plant. The essential oil results from grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resu ...

is popular, this may be used, though it possesses a powerful flavour and aroma. Most chefs use a neutral, high-smoking-point vegetable oil like canola or sunflower oil. Traditionally, the dish is eaten by hand with flatbread (specifically

roti Roti is a round flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is commonly consumed in many South Asian, Southeast Asian, Caribbean, East African, and Southeast African countries. It is made from stoneground whole-wheat flour, kno ...

naan Naan () is a leavened, oven-baked or tawa-fried flatbread, that can also be baked in a tandoor. It is characterized by a light and fluffy texture and golden-brown spots from the baking process. Naan is found in the cuisines of Central Asia ...

paratha Paratha (, also parantha/parontah) is a flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent, with earliest reference mentioned in early medieval Sanskrit, India. It is one of the most popular flatbreads in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. ...

), and can also be served with a variety of rice dishes, like

biryani Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or pane ...

khichdi ''Khichdi'' or ''khichri'' (, , , , Odia: ଖେଚୁଡି) is a dish in South Asian cuisine made of rice and lentils (''dal'') with numerous variations. Variations include ''bajra'' and mung ''dal'' ''khichri''. In Indian culture, in ...

or pulao. The meal will usually be rounded-out with various pickles (mango, lime, lemon, etc) as well as

raita Raita is a side dish and condiment in Indian cuisine made of dahi (curd), dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, or, in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan (ch ...

, a palate-cooling

yogurt Yogurt (; , from , ; also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial Fermentation (food), fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to ...

dish/condiment (similar to Greek ''

tzatziki Tzatziki (, , ), also known as ''cacık'' () or ''tarator'', is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia. It is made of salted strained yogurt or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, sal ...

'') with many forms, including mint, mango or cucumber preparations. In

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

and

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

, it is served hot with ''

litti Jari Olavi Litmanen (; born 20 February 1971) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. He was the first-choice captain of the Finland national team between 1996 and 2008 in an inter ...

'' or

baati Baati is a hard, unleavened bread cooked in most areas of Rajasthan, and in some parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat states of India. It is prized for its long shelf life and high nutritional content, and, in desert areas, for the minimal qu ...

. In

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

and

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

, ''baigan bharta'' is part of the most popular cuisine items. In India, it is found in various regional styles, with ingredients varying from one region to another. Some chefs and recipes utilise seasonal mashed pumpkin, squash or sweet potato for added thickness and flavour. The dish has since spread to areas outside of India, particularly countries with high numbers of Indians and their descendants, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and parts of the United States and Canada. It is popularly eaten in the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

, in places like

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

and

Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several smaller islets. The capital city is Port of Spai ...

, where it is known as ''baigan chokha''.

Names

The dish has several regional names, such as: *

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

- बैगन का भरता () *

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

- بینگن کا بھرتہ () *

Rajasthani Rajasthani may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Rajasthan, a state of India * Rajasthani languages, a group of Indic languages spoken there * Rajasthani people, the native inhabitants of the state * Rajasthani architecture, Indian ar ...

- भटा री बुज्जी/बांटण (bhaṭā ri bujji/bā̃ṭaṇ) *

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

- ਬਤਾਊ ਦਾ ਭੱੜਥਾ () *

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...

- રીંગણનો ઓળો () * Assamese- বেঙেনাৰ পিটিকা () * Meitei- ꯈꯥꯃꯦꯟ ꯑꯃꯦꯇꯄꯤ (''khāmen ametpi'') *

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...

- वांग्याचं भरीत () *

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

- ಬದನೆಕಾಯಿ ಗೊಜ್ಜ () *

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

- వంకాయ పచ్చడి (vankāya pachchaḍi) *

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

- கத்தரி துவயல் (''kattiri tuvayal'') * Tulu- ಬದನೆ ಗೊಜ್ಜಿ (''badanae gōjji'') *

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

- വഴുതന ചമ്മന്തി (''vazhutana chammanti'') * Odia- ବାଇଗଣର ଚକଟା () *

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

- বেগুন ভর্তা () * Sylheti- ꠛꠣꠁꠋꠉꠂꠘ ꠌꠣꠐꠘꠤ (''baingoin sātni'') *

Bhojpuri Bhojpuri may refer to: * Bhojpuri language, an Indo-Aryan language of India and Nepal * Bhojpuri grammar, grammatical rules of the language * Bhojpuri nouns, nouns of the language * Bhojpuri people, people who speak the language * Bhojpuri region ...

- भाँटा के चोखा (''bhā̃ṭā ke chokhā)'' * Maithili- ভাঁটাক সন্না (''bhā̃ṭāk sannā'') *

Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, the language of the Kashmiris ethnic group People with the nam ...

- وانٛگَن ژیٚٹِنؠ (''wangan tsetin'') * Nepali- बैगुनको भर्ता (''baigun ko bhartā'')

Variants

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

, it is called ''ringan no oḷo'' (), in which the eggplant is roasted, then mashed, and then sautéed with mustard and cumin seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder, ginger and garlic and salt. It is served with ''bajra no rotlo'' (),

kadhi Kadhi or karhi is a yogurt-based dish originating from Rajasthan, India. It is made by simmering yogurt with besan (gram flour) and spices until it forms a thick, tangy gravy. It is sometimes mixed with pakoras (deep-fried fritters). It is ...

(a soup prepared by gram flour, curd and spices), khichadi and ''chhaash'' () (buttermilk). In

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

, it is called ''eṇṇegāyi'' (ಎಣ್ಣೆಗಾಯಿ) and is prepared by boiling and frying a whole eggplant, and is usually served with ''

akki rotti ''Akki rotti'' or ''akki roti'' is an Indian flatbread made from rice flour. It is a part of Karnataka cuisine. Versions ''Akki roti'' has at least two versions. The most common version is similar to the Maharashtrian flatbread '' thalipeeth ...

'', while the ''gōjju'' (ಗೊಜ್ಜು) is just roasting and mashing the seasoned eggplant. In the

South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

n state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, the

Tamils The Tamils ( ), also known by their endonym Tamilar, are a Dravidian peoples, Dravidian ethnic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. The Tamil language is o ...

prepare a similar dish called ''kattirikāi tayir koṭsu'' (கத்திரிகாய் தயிர் கொட்சு), in which the eggplant is cooked, mashed, and sautéed with

mustard Mustard may refer to: Food and plants * Mustard (condiment), a paste or sauce made from mustard seeds used as a condiment * Mustard plant, one of several plants, having seeds that are used for the condiment ** Mustard seed, small, round seeds of ...

, red chilis and

sesame oil Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. ...

. The final step in the recipe involves adding yogurt (curds) to the mixture and dressing the dish with coriander leaves. In the

-speaking regions of India (such as eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar), it is known as ''Bhāṅṭā ke chokhā (भांटा के चोखा )''; it is also popular within the

Indo-Caribbean Indo-Caribbean or Indian-Caribbean people are people from the Caribbean who trace their ancestry to the Indian subcontinent. They are descendants of the Jahaji indentured laborers from British India, who were brought by the British, Dutch, and ...

communities of

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

, and

, where many descendants of

indentured labourers Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as payment for some good or serv ...

from northern India live. In Maharashtra, especially in the northern

Khandesh Khandesh is a geographic region in Maharashtra, India. It was made up of present Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar districts. It also said that Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh was also its part. The region have seen many geographical ch ...

region, ''vangyache bharit'' (वांग्याचें भरीत) as they call it is served in social gatherings including wedding ceremonies. During harvest season, a special "''bharit'' party" is organised. ''Bharit'' is usually served with ''

puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state ca ...

''. In the

Vidarbha Vidarbha (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, �id̪əɾbʱə is a geographical region in the west Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Forming the eastern part of the state, it comprises Amravati Division, Amrav ...

and Khandesh regions of

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

, two variants are popular: ("raw") and (with ) . In , all the ingredients except for eggplant are used uncooked. Raw spring onion, tomato, green chillies, green coriander, and sometimes fresh fenugreek leaves are mixed with flame-roasted eggplant along with raw

linseed oil Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil (in its edible form), is a colorless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant (''Linum usitatissimum''). The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by ...

or peanut oil. In , the above ingredients are first fried in oil with spices; then, mashed eggplants are mixed into it and cooked together. A similar process is followed in other Indian states and Pakistan with slight variations in ingredients. In

and

, it is considered a delicacy when the eggplants are roasted on dried cotton plant stems, a process which gives a distinct smokey flavour to the dish. The dish is served with ''

dal Dal is a term in the Indian subcontinent for dried, split pulses. Dal or DAL may also refer to: Places Cambodia *Dal, Ke Chong Finland * Laakso, a neighbourhood of Helsinki India * Dal Lake, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India * Dal ...

bhakri Bhakri () is a round flatbread often eaten in the cuisines of the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Karnataka in India. Bhakri is prepared using jowar or bajra, which is coarser than a regular wheat chapati. Bhakri can be either sof ...

'', and

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

. File:Baigan Bharta.jpg File:Baigan ka Bharta.jpg, Baigan bharta with ''

'' and

lentil The lentil (''Vicia lens'' or ''Lens culinaris'') is an annual plant, annual legume grown for its Lens (geometry), lens-shaped edible seeds or ''pulses'', also called ''lentils''. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in Legume, pods, usually w ...

s File:Litti Chokha.jpg, ''Litti chokha'', ''litti'' with ''bhantaa chokha'', a

dish File:Baigan Bharta from Nagpur.JPG, ''Baigan bharta'' made in

Nagpur Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...

, Maharashtra File:Baingan Ka Bharta.JPG File:ಎಣ್ಣೆಗಾಯಿ - ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ.jpg , ''

Akki rotti ''Akki rotti'' or ''akki roti'' is an Indian flatbread made from rice flour. It is a part of Karnataka cuisine. Versions ''Akki roti'' has at least two versions. The most common version is similar to the Maharashtrian flatbread '' thalipeeth ...

'' with ''eṇṇegāyi'', a

dish

Protest symbol

In a protest against

Bt brinjal The genetically modified brinjal is a suite of transgenic brinjals (also known as eggplant or aubergine) created by inserting a crystal protein gene ('' Cry1Ac'') from the soil bacterium ''Bacillus thuringiensis'' into the genome of various brinja ...

and the introduction of

genetically modified crops Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of '' Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of ...

, volunteers from

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by a group of Environmental movement, environmental activists. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its biod ...

and Delhi's

Le Méridien Le Méridien is an American upscale, design-focused international hotel brand with a European perspective. It was originally founded by Air France in 1972 and was later based in the United Kingdom. Marriott International now owns the chain. As of ...

hotel cooked of

organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

''brinjal bharta'' at

Dilli Haat Dilli Haat is a paid-entrance open-air market, food plaza, and craft bazaar located in Delhi. The area is run by Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), and unlike the traditional weekly market, the village Haat, Dill ...

, New Delhi, on 6 September 2011. This set a world record for the largest amount of the dish produced in one occasion of preparation. A portion of the final dish was sent to Indian Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (26 September 1932 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian economist, bureaucrat, academician, and statesman, who served as the prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jaw ...

's residence, accompanied by a letter of protest containing an explanation.

Notes

References

External links