Looking to enjoy a UK takeaway favourite from the comfort of your own home? Try our homemade Brinjal Bhaji with roasted aubergine mixed with a spicy onion tomato masala. This easy-to-follow Vegan aubergine bhaji recipe makes a perfect side or main, ready in just 30 minutes.
Make Takeaway style Brinjal Bhaji at home
This recipe for homemade Brinjal Bhaji is incredibly easy, and once you try it, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with takeaway. There's no need for complicated cooking techniques - all you have to do is roast the aubergine and add it to a onion and tomato masala. With only a few ingredients and just 30 minutes of your time, it's perfect for a quick and easy dinner on weeknights or weekends.
To speed up the cooking process, I prefer to roast diced aubergine in the air fryer. It only takes 12 minutes, but if you're roasting the aubergine in the oven, it will take about 22-25 minutes.
If you want to bulk it up, try adding potatoes like in our Indian Potato and Aubergine Curry.
Instead of waiting for your next takeaway order, make this delicious Brinjal Bhaji and serve it with fresh flatbread or roti for a comforting meal.
When I have leftover Aubergine Bhaji, I spread it on naan bread, top it with mozzarella cheese, and air fry it for 4 minutes until the cheese has just melted. Serve it with a creamy raita, and it's a brilliant aubergine bhaji pizza for fakeaway dinner, ready in under 10 minutes.
Ingredients
The ingredients are super simple and most of which you may already have at home. You will need
- Oil: Any neutral-flavoured oil, such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or olive oil, will work to cook the brinjal and onions.
- Aubergine (Brinjal / Eggplant): Diced aubergine is the main ingredient in this recipe.
- Onion: I like to use White onion, diced finely to add flavour and texture to the dish.
- Chilli: Green chilli and red chilli powder are used to add a spicy kick to the dish. You can adjust the amount of chilli according to your taste.
- Ginger Garlic: Use a mixture of fresh ginger and garlic to add a depth of flavor to the dish.
- Tomato Puree or Tomato Paste: Use Tomato puree or tomato paste to lend a tomatoey flavour to the dish. If you prefer a more saucy consistency, you can add a can of chopped tomatoes.
- Spices: For a flavourful curry base, use a combination of turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, and curry powder.
- Fresh Coriander: Fresh coriander gives the dish a pop of fresh flavour.
- Lemon: Squeeze half a lemon over the dish before serving to add a tangy flavour that complements the spices.
Roast Aubergine in the Air fryer
To prepare the roasted aubergine for Brinjal Bhaji, begin by preheating the air fryer for 4-5 minutes. Then, place the diced aubergine on a baking tray and toss it with oil and turmeric. Roast the aubergine in the air fryer for 12 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and tender with crispy edges.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can still roast the aubergine in the oven. Preheat the oven to 190 C, then place the diced aubergine on a tray and roast it for 25-30 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender with crispy edges.
PS- I have used Instant Vortex Plus Versazone Air fryer which has a capacity of 8.5l for roasting the aubergine. Picture below.
How to make Brinjal Bhaji step by step?
While the aubergine is cooking, heat oil in a pan and add onion, green chilli, ginger, and garlic. Fry until the onions are soft and translucent.
Next, add spices, tomato paste, salt, and water to the pan and stir. Cover and cook the masala until it combines well.
Now, add the roasted aubergine and water to the masala and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Finally, finish the dish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a garnish of fresh coriander. Enjoy your homemade Aubergine Bhaji!
Brinjal Bhaji and Baingan Bharta
Brinjal Bhaji and Baingan Bharta are two Indian dishes that use aubergine (eggplant) as their main ingredient, but they differ in their preparation and flavour. Both dishes offer a delicious way to enjoy aubergine in Indian cuisine.
Brinjal Bhaji curry involves dicing the aubergine, roasting it, and then cooking it with a flavourful onion tomato masala. On the other hand, Baingan Bharta calls for roasting the whole aubergine, peeling it, mashing it, and then adding it to the masala.
It's worth noting that some recipes for Brinjal Bhaji may use mashed aubergine, which actually makes it Baingan Bharta. To create an authentic Brinjal Bhaji, stick to the diced and roasted aubergine method.
Onion Bhaji and Brinjal Bhaji
Onion Bhaji and Brinjal Bhaji are two popular dishes in Indian cuisine, but they differ in taste, texture, and presentation.
- Onion Bhaji, also known as Bhajjee, is a crispy appetizer made with onions, gram flour and spices. It is served hot with chutneys or dips, making it a popular snack or appetizer in Indian cuisine.
- Brinjal Bhaji, on the other hand, is a side dish made with brinjals (aubergine), spices, and a semi-gravy consistency. It is often served as part of a main course and pairs well with fresh roti or other Indian breads.
What to serve it with?
- Serve Brinjal Bhaji with Homemade naan bread, Yogurt flatbread, or Fresh chapati.
- For a full Indian meal, serve Aubergine Bhaji with crispy onion bhaji, yellow pilau rice, tarka dal,and vegetable raita.
- Add some pickles, chutneys or salad on the side, such as mango chutney, lime pickle, green chutney, cold Indian onion chutney or Kachumber salad.
Storing leftovers
Store any leftover Indian Aubergine curry in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze Brinjal Bhaji?
Yes, you can freeze Brinjal Bhaji. Allow it to cool down completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Label the container and freeze it up to 3 months.
To thaw frozen Aubergine Bhaji curry, transfer the container from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight. Once it is completely thawed, you can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
If you love this recipe, you will also love
Air fryer baba ganoush (roasted aubergine dip)
Vegan Indian style Jackfruit curry
Indian okra curry ( Bhendi Bhaji)
30 minutes Takeaway style Brinjal Bhaji recipe below
Ingredients
For roasting the Aubergine
- 1½ tablespoon Sunflower oil
- 400 g Aubergine (Brinjal) diced
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
Onion Tomato Masala
- 1½ tablespoon Sunflower oil
- 170 g White onion (1 medium) diced
- 1 Green Chilli sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic diced
- 5 cm Ginger juliennes
- 60 g Tomato Puree (3 Tbsp)
- 1 cup Water + ½ cup if needed
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- ½ teaspoon Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Madras Curry Powder or Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- ½ Lemon Juice
Instructions
Roast Aubergine in Air fryer/ Oven
- Preheat the air fryer for 4 minutes.
- Toss diced aubergine with oil and turmeric, then place it on a baking tray.1½ tablespoon Sunflower oil, 400 g Aubergine (Brinjal), ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- Transfer the baking tray inside the air fryer basket and roast the aubergine in the air fryer for 12-13 minutes until soft and tender with crispy edges.
- If using an oven, preheat it to 190 C. Roast the diced aubergine for 25-30 minutes or until you have soft and tender flesh with crispy edges.
How to make Aubergine Bhaji
- In a pan, heat oil and add onion, green chilli, ginger, and garlic. Fry until onions are soft and translucent (about 5-6 minutes).1½ tablespoon Sunflower oil, 170 g White onion (1 medium), 1 Green Chilli, 2 cloves Garlic, 5 cm Ginger
- Add tomato puree, spices, salt, and water to the pan. Stir, cover, and cook the masala for 4 minutes.60 g Tomato Puree (3 Tbsp), ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric, 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, ½ teaspoon Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon Madras Curry Powder, Salt to taste, 1 cup Water
- Add the roasted aubergine and water to the masala. Stir. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.400 g Aubergine (Brinjal), 1 cup Water
- Squeeze lemon juice over the dish and garnish with fresh coriander.½ Lemon Juice, 3 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- Serve and enjoy your homemade Brinjal Bhaji!
Lucy says
Added potatoes (cooked) and cooked roasted tomatoes. Absolutely delicious Thankyou!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Fantastic to know Lucy. Brinjal Bhaji is such a comfort dish and honestly easy to make too!
Amanda says
Really delicious and quick to make too, found the layout of your method with the required amount for each ingredient really helpful too! Will be making this again, thank you, its yummy. 🙂
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thats simply awesome to know Amanda. Thank you for your lovely feedback on Brinjal Bhaji recipe.
Smiley Dhove says
Easy to make recipe. Tasted somewhat sour so not sure that I will use lemon juice in future. Added more tomato puree to sweeten it & it was fine!
Sandhya Hariharan says
Thank you for your feedback on the recipe Smiley. Adding Lemon Juice is kind of a personal choice with the Indian dishes.. But glad that adding a little more tomato puree did balance the flavours.
Ian says
Great recipe! My auntie was in the back of my mind telling me to cook the onions for longer but I’m sure it would have worked out fine without that.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Thank you Ian. Cooking Onion for longer definitely will bring out more flavours. However I felt cooking for 5-6 minutes until translucent was enough, as we are cooking the onion and tomatoes again for a few more minutes.
Ian says
I kept them moist to avoid colouring them as per auntie’s instructions. I’ll definitely be back to try some of your other recipes, this was one of the tastiest and most straightforward curries I’ve made. Thank you!
Sandhya's Kitchen says
So pleased to know you enjoyed the Brinjal Bhaji recipe.
Jay says
Excellent recipe. Had some left over and had 2 days later. Wow.
Neil F says
Tried this last night. Excellent recipe and so easy.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Absolutely pleased to know you loved the Brinjal Bhaji Neil. Thank you for dropping in your review.