Tomato Bharta is a smoky and tangy Indian and Bangladeshi dish made by charring ripe tomatoes, mashing them, and spicing them with aromatic ingredients.
The essence of this dish lies in roasting tomatoes until they develop a smoky and caramelized flavor, which is then enhanced with aromatic spices and herbs.
Key Takeaways
- The dish is known for its smoky, tangy, and slightly spicy flavor profile, achieved through the roasting of tomatoes and the use of aromatic spices.
- Tomato Bharta is a versatile side dish that pairs well with various Indian bread like roti, paratha, and naan, as well as rice dishes and grilled meats.
- Tomato Bharta alternatives include Baingan Bharta (eggplant), Aloo Bharta (potato), Palak Bharta (spinach), and other mashed vegetable dishes, each with its unique flavor profile.
The Ingredients
- Tomato: 5 pieces (cleaned & rinsed)
- Onion: 1 piece, big size (sliced)
- Green chilis: 4 pieces (chopped)
- Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp (chopped)
- Garlic: 1 piece, small size
- Dry red chilis: 2 piece
- Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
- Salt to taste
How to Cook Tomato Bharta (Step by Step Images)?
1. Start by greasing the tomatoes with mustard oil and then roast them on a gas stove using a mesh. Burn them until the entire skin blackens.
2. Remove the charred tomatoes from the gas stove. Roast the garlic cloves and dry red chilis. Burn them until the entire skin blackens. Turn off the flame.
3. Once all the items have cooled down, remove the burnt peel. Now take the sliced onions, dry red chilis, and add ½ tbsp of salt. Mix the onions, red chilis, and salt together. Add the garlic cloves as well.
4. Next, add 1 ½ tbsp of mustard oil to the onion and dry red chili mixture. Mix it thoroughly. After combining the roasted chilis, garlic, and onions, add the tomatoes. Mash all the tomatoes nicely and mix them with the roasted chilis, garlic, and onions.
(Pro Tip: Adjust the amount of salt and oil according to your preference.)
5. Finally, add the chopped green chilis and coriander leaves, and mix everything together.
6. Your Tomato Bharta is now ready. Serve it with rice, Indian flatbreads like roti or chapati, parathas and grilled or roasted vegetables such as bell peppers or zucchini, or grilled meats like chicken or lamb kebabs.
Recipe Card:
Tomato Bharta (Tamatar Ka Bharta)
Ingredients
- 5 pieces Tomato (cleaned properly)
- 1 piece Onion (sliced)
- 4 pieces Green chili (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
- 1 piece Garlic
- 2 pieces Dry red chili
- 2 tbsp Mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by greasing the tomatoes with mustard oil and then roast them on a gas stove using a mesh. Burn them until the entire skin blackens.
- Remove the charred tomatoes from the gas stove. Roast the garlic cloves and dry red chilis. Burn them until the entire skin blackens. Turn off the flame.
- Once all the items have cooled down, remove the burnt peel. Now take the sliced onions, dry red chilis, and add ½ tbsp of salt. Mix the onions, red chilis, and salt together. Add the garlic cloves as well.
- Next, add 1 ½ tbsp of mustard oil to the onion and dry red chili mixture. Mix it thoroughly. After combining the roasted chilis, garlic, and onions, add the tomatoes. Mash all the tomatoes nicely and mix them with the roasted chilis, garlic, and onions.(Pro Tip: Adjust the amount of salt and oil according to your preference.)
- Finally, add the chopped green chilis and coriander leaves, and mix everything together.
- Your Tomato Bharta is now ready. Serve it with rice, Indian flatbreads like roti or chapati, parathas and grilled or roasted vegetables such as bell peppers or zucchini, or grilled meats like chicken or lamb kebabs.
Video
Notes
- Choosing ripe and red, fresh and firm, plump and juicy tomatoes is the key to make this dish. These tomatoes will be lot sweeter and offer a more intense flavor.
- Roast or char the tomatoes to perfection. This is important to ensure it offers the traditional smoky and caramelized flavor. I keep turning the tomatoes continuously on a grill, oven, or an open flame until the skin is charred and blistered.
- Stick to fresh and whole spices to make this dish. For a richer flavor, roast the whole spices in a dry skillet and then grind them.
- Consider your heat tolerance level and adjust the number of green chilies. You may even remove the seeds as well as the membrane from inside the green chilies to reduce the heat.
- You may add roasted garlic or grated fresh ginger for additional taste and flavor as well as fresh herbs like cilantro, mint or coriander to your dish.
