Aubergine

baingan · begun

The vegetable that tastes best a little burnt.

What it is

Aubergine is the glossy purple vegetable — begun in Bengal, baingan in the north — with a soft, absorbent flesh that takes on smoke and spice beautifully. Charred whole, it becomes the smoky mash of bharta; sliced and fried, it soaks up a sauce. Small and large varieties suit different dishes.

Where it comes from

Native to the region (unlike so many of its everyday vegetables), aubergine is used across the subcontinent — charred for bharta in the north, fried as begun bhaja in Bengal, simmered into tangy dishes in the west.

What it's called

Aubergine · baingan (Hindi) · begun (Bengali) · brinjal / eggplant.

In the kitchen

Charred whole over a flame until collapsing, then mashed with onion and spice for a smoky bharta; sliced, salted and fried as begun bhaja; or cubed and simmered into gravies. Its flesh absorbs oil and flavour readily — the smoke of a charred aubergine is the whole point of bharta.

What we know about the claims

A wholesome low-calorie vegetable with fibre; it does absorb oil, so fried preparations are richer. No caution.

Choosing and buying

Everywhere. Choose firm, glossy, heavy aubergines; small ones for stuffing and frying, large for bharta.