Baingan bharta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Baingan bharta

Baignan bharta
Alternative names	Begun bhorta
Place of origin	India
Region or state	South Asia
Main ingredients	Eggplant, onion, tomato, chili, Pakistani spices

Baingan bharta is a tasty dish from India. It's made by mashing grilled eggplant (which is called baingan in Hindi). People mix the mashed eggplant with yummy ingredients like tomato, onion, herbs, and spices.

Grilling the eggplant over fire gives the dish a special smoky taste. After grilling, the eggplant is mixed with cooked chopped tomato, browned onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, fresh cilantro (coriander leaves), chili pepper, and oil.

This dish is often eaten with flatbreads like roti or paratha. It can also be served with rice or raita, which is a cool yogurt salad. In some parts of India, like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it's served hot with litti or baati.

Baingan bharta is a very popular food in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It's made in different ways depending on the region, with slightly different ingredients.

What is Baingan Bharta?

Baingan bharta is a dish that comes from the word bharta, meaning "mashed." So, it's basically "mashed eggplant." The main ingredient is eggplant, which is cooked until it's soft enough to mash.

How is Baingan Bharta Made?

First, a whole eggplant is grilled over an open flame or charcoal. This step is important because it gives the eggplant a smoky flavor. Once it's cooked and soft, the skin is removed, and the eggplant is mashed.

Then, the mashed eggplant is mixed with other ingredients. These often include chopped tomatoes, onions, and spices like cumin. Fresh ginger, garlic, and chili peppers are also added for flavor. Finally, fresh coriander leaves are stirred in.

Different Names for Baingan Bharta

This popular dish has many different names across South Asia. For example, in Gujarat, it's called Ringan No Oro. In Maharashtra, it's known as wangyacha bharit. In Karnataka, people call it eṇṇegāyi. In Bangladesh, it's often called begun bhôrta. All these names refer to similar mashed eggplant dishes.

Regional Styles of Baingan Bharta

People make Baingan bharta in many different ways, depending on where they live. Each region adds its own special touch to the dish.

Ringan No Oro in Gujarat

In Gujarat, the dish is called Ringan No Oro. Here, the eggplant is roasted and mashed. Then, it's cooked with mustard and cumin seeds, turmeric, red chili powder, ginger, garlic, and salt. It's often served with a type of flatbread called bajra no rotlo. People also eat it with kadhi (a soup), khichadi, and chhaash (buttermilk).

Eṇṇegāyi in Karnataka

In Karnataka, the dish is known as eṇṇegāyi. For this version, the whole eggplant is boiled and then fried. It's usually served with akki rotti, which is a flatbread made from rice flour.

Kathrikai Thayir Kothsu in Tamil Nadu

In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, people make a similar dish called kathrikai thayir kothsu. The eggplant is cooked and mashed. Then, it's cooked with mustard seeds, red chilies, and sesame oil. A special step in this recipe is adding yogurt (curds) to the mixture. Fresh coriander leaves are used to decorate the dish.

Baigan Ka Chokha in Bhojpuri Regions

In areas where the Bhojpuri language is spoken, like eastern Uttar Pradesh and western Bihar, it's called baigan ka chokha. This dish is also popular in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, and Guyana. Many people in these countries have ancestors who came from northern India.

Vangyache Bharit in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, especially in the northern Khandesh region, it's called vangyache bharit. This dish is often served at social events and weddings. During harvest season, people even have special "bharit parties"! Bharit is usually eaten with puri, a fried bread.

There are two main types of bharit in Maharashtra:

• Kachha Bharit: This means "raw" bharit. All the ingredients except the eggplant are used uncooked. Raw spring onion, tomato, green chilies, green coriander, and sometimes fresh fenugreek leaves are mixed with flame-roasted eggplant. Raw linseed oil or peanut oil is added.
• Phodni Cha Bharit: This type means "with tadka" (a tempering of spices in hot oil). The ingredients are first fried in oil with spices. Then, the mashed eggplant is mixed in and cooked together.

In some parts of Maharashtra, eggplants are roasted on dried cotton plant stems. This gives the dish a very special smoky flavor. This dish is often served with dal (lentil soup), bhakri (a type of flatbread), and rice.

Baingan Bharta as a Protest Symbol

Sometimes, food can be used to make a point! In 2011, a special event happened in New Delhi, India. It was a protest against BT Brinjal and genetically modified crops.

Volunteers from Greenpeace and a hotel cooked a huge amount of brinjal bharta. They made 342 kilograms (about 754 pounds) of organic brinjal bharta! This set a world record for the largest amount of the dish ever made at one time. A portion of this giant dish was even sent to the Indian Prime Minister's home with a letter explaining their protest.

Images for kids

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  Baingan bharta

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  Baingan bharta with roti and lentils

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  Litti chokha, litti with baigan bharta, a North Indian dish

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  Baigan bharta made in Nagpur, Maharashtra

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  A close-up of Baingan bharta

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  Akki rotti with eṇṇegāyi, a Karnataka dish