Baingan Ka Bharta
Earthy, smoky, quietly brilliant
Get directions ↗ · 2 min walk from Grand Mercure
Last orders 30 minutes before closing
Dine-in · takeaway · delivery via GrabFood and LINE MAN
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the eggplant prepared?
It is fire-roasted whole, which gives the dish its signature smoke note.
Is it mashed or cubed?
The roasted eggplant is peeled and thoroughly mashed before cooking.
What is it cooked with?
It is sautéed with mustard oil, chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, and green chilies.
Does it have a lot of gravy?
No, it is a thick, mushy, dry preparation.
What kind of bread works best with this?
It is traditionally eaten with tandoori roti or missi roti.
About Baingan Ka Bharta
Baingan Ka Bharta is the smoky mashed-aubergine dish of North India, baingan being the Hindi word for aubergine or eggplant. Its whole identity comes from fire: the aubergine is roasted whole over a flame until the skin chars and the flesh turns soft and smoky, a step that cannot be faked and gives the finished dish its unmistakable aroma. This is rustic, robustly flavoured cooking, thick and mushy rather than a gravy curry.
At BHARAT the aubergines come in fresh from Makro and are fire-roasted whole, then peeled and thoroughly mashed before they ever hit the pan, so the texture is soft and uneven rather than cubed. From there they are sautéed with chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic and green chillies, the vegetables cooking down into the smoky pulp. The spicing is kept simple to let the char lead, and the masala is ground fresh in our kitchen each day rather than taken from a jar. Our chef trained in Uttarakhand and pitches the dish at a comfortable medium, with the chilli adjustable for those who want it milder or sharper.
The pleasure here is all about that smoke, deep and almost barbecue-like, carried by the silky mashed aubergine and lifted by sweet softened onion and a little green-chilli heat. Being thick and dry, it is made for bread and is traditionally scooped up with tandoori roti or missi roti, though it pairs well with any of our flatbreads. Where some kitchens reach for mustard oil, ours runs on ghee or plain oil, and as a halal-friendly vegetarian kitchen with no pork we can keep it entirely oil-based and vegan on request. It makes an excellent smoky counterpoint to a creamier dal or bean dish on a shared table.
Vegetarians and meat-eaters share most tables here; the menu has plenty for both. Visit BHARAT →
See also: the Main Course - Veg menu · Indian vegetarian food in Bangkok · our fresh paneer dishes · halal-friendly kitchen.