Brinjal Bharta
Brinjal Bharta is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a for a classic accompaniment of mashed baked brinjals (aubergines/eggplants) blended with chillies, onions and mustard oil. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Brinjal Bharta.
prep time
10 minutes
cook time
30 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Chilli RecipesVegetarian RecipesFusion RecipesBritish Recipes
This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume:
THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869.
Original Recipe
96.—Brinjal Burta
Prepare the sliced onions, chilies, and lime-juice in the manner directed for potato burta. Take two
fine young brinjals of large size; carefully and thoroughly roast them in a quick ash fire; remove the
ashes and burnt parts of the skin, if any; then open the brinjals, and with a clean spoon remove the
contents to as near the skin as possible, to which add a good tspful of salt and tspful of
mustard oil; work these with a spoon to a perfect pulp, throwing away the lumps or shreds if any;
then mix with it all the onions, chilies, and lime-juice. If not to your taste, add more salt or
lime-juice, according to fancy.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 white (or red) onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp mustard oil
2 brinjals (aubergines/eggplants)
1/2 tsp sea salt
Method:
Combine the onion and chillies in a bowl, squeeze over the lime juice then set aside until needed
Wash the brinjals then place on a barbecue or in a hot oven and cook until the skin begins to blister and the brinjal is cooked through.
Halve the brinjals and use a spoon to remove the contents to as near the skin as possible. Transfer to a bowl and mash to a pulp, discarding any lumps or shreds.
Add in the mustard ooil and salt then stir in the onion and chillies, adding the lime juice to taste.
Serve as an accompaniment.
Find more Victorian Recipes Here and more Curry Recipes Here. For the original version of The Indian Cookery book see my The Indian Cookery Book main page.
