I have been waiting to write this recipe ever since I started this blog-inventory! This is my the most favorite Bhorrta aka spread, because it is smokey, spicy and just delicious! The smokiness comes from charring aubergines in direct flame, which definitely I can’t do in typical Danish household (thanks to flame less kitchen!). That’s why it took so long for me to write this recipe on the first place.

Anyway, long story short, the ingredient lists are very simple and short! However, the key ingredient here is Bangladeshi mustard oil, without it, there’s like no point of making the smokey aubergine spread! Although there are many ways to char aubergine, either you can do it in oven, in air fryer or in gas grill, however I think it is best to do it in direct flame! I have tried to char it in electric oven, but it took way too much time and was not even close to original taste.

That’s why when I saw these long thin aubergines in local Indian store, plus it’s summer here now, I bought an one time barbecue grill with charcoal to char the aubergines. So I washed the aubergines, pat dried so there’s no water left and directly placed on coal fire. I haven’t brushed any oil on the skin, because I think it hinders the skin to get smokey flavor. I don’t know, I just like to char it without oil.

However, I won’t do it again in one time barbecue grill because it took way to much time. Rather I would try to char them in aluminum pan on the stove or just in direct flame, like how I did it in my workplace.

Well, after a looooong time, aubergines are finally charred nicely and soft inside. I took them out of the grill and let them cooled.

Meanwhile, I sliced the onions and chilies.

Now, this part is important. I hand pressed the sliced onions and chilies with salt. This way, onions get softer, as we are not cooking them in this recipe and flavors get enhanced too. Kindly note that I pressed them without oil and without blended or mixer. You want the onions with texture, not blended.

When aubergines got colder, I scooped out the fleshes. Or you can just lightly take out the charred skin by hand.

Then I pounded everything once again and this time with mustard oil. The more you pound, the more it gets softer. Taste salt and you can add or omit mustard oil to your taste.

Here is the final product looked like! It is simply awesome to eat with white rice and gives you an authentic taste of Bangladesh!

Recipe: 5 person Preparation time: 30min, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients: Aubergine of your choice Spices and Condiments: 1 big white Onion Few green chilis Mustard oil Salt to taste

Instructions: 1. Wash and pat dry aubergines. Char them in your preferred method – in direct flame/ on charcoal/gas grill/electric oven. Make sure that outer skin in only charred but inside gets soft. Don’t forget to turn them around often to get evenly blazed. 2. When inside of aubergine feels soft when touched, take them out of flame and let them cool. Scoop out the flesh or simply take out the charred skin. 3. Very thinly sliced the onion and green chilies, knead or pound them with salt. DO NOT add oil in this step. 4. Then mix the aubergine flesh with onion and chilies and knead them with oil. Taste the salt and add more if needed. Serve with white rice.