Bharwa Baingan is a crispy, spicy, masala-stuffed Indian dish with baby brinjal. It has a taste and aroma of an Indian pickle, hence the name Achari. These stuffed brinjals are vegan and gluten-free.

aerial shot of achari baingan stacked in a white ceramic plate

Achari Bharwa Baingan is one of the best Indian side-dish recipes that adds tons of flavour to an everyday meal.

In the Hindi language, the brinjal is called ‘Baingan’, the word bharwa means stuffed, and the term ‘achari’ is used to describe any dish with the taste/flavor or aroma of a pickling spice mix.

Like achari paneer tikka or achari pulao. The mix of pickling spices is an excellent flavouring agent that never fails to yield delicious results.

The masala stuffed brinjals are known as Bharwa Baingan in the Northern part of India.

More Reasons To LOVE Bharwa Baingan

perfect for packed lunch (office or travelling)
meal prep friendly (store it for 1 week)
minimal effort, maximum flavour
gluten-free and vegan
easy peasy recipe

aerial shot of bharwa baingan stacked in a white ceramic plate

Ingredients Required

The good news about making achari bharwa baingan is you do not require tons of ingredients.

The core ingredient of this baingan recipe is the achari masala. You can use readymade or homemade achaar masala. Else, make a small batch of achari masala for this sabzi as I do every time.

Brinjal: Use the tiny, round purple brinjals (eggplant) for this bharwa baingan recipe. Do not use white, long, or big-size brinjals.

For Achari Masala: Yellow Mustard Seeds (sarson), Coriander Seeds (sabut dhania), Fennel Seeds (saunf), Fenugreek Seeds (methi), Cumin Seeds (jeera)

Mango Powder (amchur), Turmeric (haldi), Red Chili Powder (lal mirch), Salt

Oil: If you want a pickle-like taste, cook the brinjals only in mustard oil.

How To Make

Making bharwa baingan is a fuss-free and straightforward method. Except for slitting brinjals, no cutting, chopping, or sauteeing is required in this recipe.

Step 1) Rinse baby brinjals with water. Then, wipe with a clean kitchen towel to dry out completely (image 1 & 2).

Step 2) Make an ‘X’ (a cross) at the bottom of each brinjal, slitting them lengthwise but leaving them intact from the stem (image 3).

Step 3) To make achari masala, start with dry roasting the whole spices – mustard seeds, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, and cumin. Roast them for 2 minutes only to release the aroma (image 4).

Step 4) Grind roasted spices to a fine powder using a blender or spice grinder. Transfer to a bowl (image 5).

Step 5) Add red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, and mango powder to the ground spice mix. Combine. And the achari masala is ready! (image 6)

Step 6) Now, stuff each brinjal with a tablespoon of achari masala. Press tightly. Arrange them on a plate.

baby brinjal stuffed with masala and stacked on a platter

Step 7) Heat mustard oil in a heavy bottom pan till it starts smoking. Then, reduce the heat to low. Arrange the stuffed brinjals in the pan without overlapping each other (image 7).

Step 8) Cook the stuffed brinjals over low heat. After 5 minutes, flip them using a tong. Cook till crisp from the other side as well. Lastly, cook them covered for 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

I usually prepare a batch of bharwa baingan over the weekend and serve them with various Indian main-course dishes throughout the week.

My favourite combination is achari baingan masala, arhar dal, and green boondi raita.

And in case I missed sharing with you that these baingan make a tasty travelling food when tucked inside the paratha or for husband’s office lunchbox as well.