The pressure cooker method of Baingan Bharta method eliminates the need to grill the eggplant on coal or open flame,cool and remove the charred skin. The entire meal can be ready in under 30 minutes with only one pressure cooker and chopping board to wash!
In India we have Gas stoves on which we grill/broil the eggplant for this traditional dish and then make a hash out of it with onions and tomatoes. After coming to the US, I didn’t make Baingan Bharta for many years,because I couldn’t figure out how to cook it on an electric stove without ruining my stovetop with the juice and drippings.
For many years I used my oven to bake eggplant halves, and then proceed with the recipe to make Baingan Bharta. It was always a tedious job, that took extra time and more pans to be washed. I experimented by making it in a pressure cooker and not only was it truly a one pot dish that was ready in under 30 minutes, it was just as tasty.
Nothing compares to the flavor of chargrilled Eggplant that we make back home in India, but the pressure cooker method is fast, easy and delicious. I love to serve it with Moong Ki dal, Kali Masoor Dal-Dhaba Style or any dal for that matter with crisp parathas and Bangalore style Carrot Beetroot Raita . Also try out Baingan Aloo- No onion garlic recipe. You can still get that chargrilled smoked flavor by following the ‘Dhungar method’- For the smoky flavor, heat a piece of coal, place a small bowl in the same pan as the bharta. Put the hot piece of coal in the small bowl. Add a few drops of oil/ghee/butter and when the coal starts smoking, cover the bharta with a lid and leave it for a few minutes. You will get the char grilled smoked flavor in your bharta.
Moving on to the recipe, here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-
Baingan Bharta in pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant/Brinjal/Baingan washed,peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2 Onions diced
- 3 to matoes diced
- 1/2 inch Ginger chopped
- 2-3 Green Chilies optional
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp Coriander/Dhania powder
- 1/2 tsp red Chili powder
- Pinch of Garam Masala
- 1/2 cup water
- Fresh Cilantro chopped
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
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In hot oil, add Cumin.When it crackles, add onions and cook till they are light brown.
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Add tomatoes and Green chilies and cook till tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
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Add Red chilies powder,Coriander powder, Garam Masala and stir
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Add peeled,diced Eggplant/Brinjal/Baingan,chopped ginger and cilantro and stir well for few minutes till everything mixes well.
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Add water and give 2 whistles in pressure cooker(Alternately,You can cover a pan with a lid and simmer till eggplant is cooked)
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Let steam release naturally. Garnish with Cilantro.
Notes
Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-
Ingredients
Add Cumin/Jeera seeds and let them crackle. Add onions and cook till pink and translucent
Add tomatoes and Green chilies
Cook till tomatoes get soft and mushy
Add spices and stir for few minutes
Peel Eggplant/Brinjal/Baingan and cut into cubes
Add chopped Eggplant,ginger and cilantro
Mix well with the onion tomato mixture, add water and give 2 whistles(Cover with a lid and simmer till done, if you don’t want to use a pressure cooker)
Serve with Moong ki dal and paratha
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Diana
What does 2 whistles mean? How long does that take?
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Diana, pressure cookers usually let out a whistle when they reach full pressure. If your pressure cooker doesn’t have that option or you are cooking in a covered pan, cook for about 10 minutes on medium, with pan covered or till the eggplant/baingan is cooked and blends in well with onions and tomato hash. I do hope you will try and share your feedback. Would love to hear back from you. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Caryl W Brown
so that explains the first whistle…what does TWO whistles mean?? Looks delicious, but don’t know how long to pressure cook it!
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Carol, Most pressure cookers from India, give out a whistling sound when they reach full cooking pressure. That’s the first whistle. If you leave it on the stove at the same temperature, it will keep building pressure and letting out steam by giving another whistle. Since you have a different type of pressure cooker, I would bring it to full pressure and cook for an additional 5 minutes,after that. The word Bharta literally means a hash or a mushy dish. So if you cook a little extra, no worries,it will still taste great. Hope I answered your question and would love to hear back from you to see how it turned out. Please do share your feedback with a picture.
Caryl
Thank you for the explanation. I couldn’t wait and cooked it in the instant pot for 3 minutes manual high pressure with natural pressure release, and it is soooooo good! A little spicy, but nothing some raita won’t handle nicely. I look forward to trying more of your recipes! I can’t figure out how to post a photo ?
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Carol, so glad it turned out great. I would love for you to try out some of my other recipes as well. You can post a photo on my facebook page, its easy to share pictures on FB page. Thanks for visiting my blog.
Ash
Heya, how much quantity of water?
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Ash, half cup water should be enough. Thanks for visiting my blog.