Melt In The Mouth Burnt Aubergine And Spinach Curry

What is Oroh?

Oroh is simply a name for smoky aubergine cooked with garlic, onions, tomatoes and chillies. If you’re a fan of North Indian food, you’ll probably know it as Baingan ka Bharta – the North Indian version. Oroh is the Gujarati name for it and here’s how we cook it at home. Baingan ka Bharta is a part of the national cuisines of all nation states of the Indian subcontinent. It’s a well-loved vegetarian dish that’s made by mincing aubergine or eggplant that is grilled over charcoal or direct fire. At home we do it over direct fire.

A whole head of garlic?!

It’s really easy to be afraid of overdoing it with the garlic in this dish. You might think it’s mad to add as much garlic as my recipe calls for but please do stick with it. The burnt aubergine needs flavours that can stand up to it so that the result is smoky, spicy, punchy and tangy.

How to cook aubergines for Burnt Aubergine Curry

Use a fork to dock holes all over the aubergines. Rub each one with a small amount of oil and then place onto a trivet set over a gas burner. Switch the flame on and allow the aubergines to roast directly on the fire until charred and blackened all over, about 12-14 minutes per aubergine. Turn every 5 minutes or so using a pair of metal tongs. If you have multiple burners and trivets you can do all of them at once, otherwise you may need to work in batches. The aubergine skin should be completely blackened and brittle. The should be cooked through completely. It’s almost impossible to overcook them, so if you’re unsure about whether they’re done or not, give them another 5 minutes anyway. Keep the windows open all the time as the kitchen will get very smoky. Alternatively, barbecue the aubergines outside. You can also grill them under a domestic grill, but the final dish will not be as smoky and delicious as it should be. Once blackened, set the aubergines onto a plate and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to split the (still warm) aubergines lengthways down the centre. Use a spoon to scrape the as much of the creamy flesh from inside as possible. Discard the blackened skins. Roughly chop the aubergine flesh and set aside.

Can beginners make Melt-in-the-Mouth Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry?

Absolutely! This is one of the first dishes my mother taught me to cook. I’d seen her make it a million times before and it was a favourite in our home. Gather your ingredients and take your time roasting the aubergines over the open flame. Why? Because this is where the dish gets a tonne of flavour so it’s important to get this bit right. Finally, don’t skimp on the charring.

My love affair with Melt-in-the-Mouth Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry

I learnt to cook this when I was 12 years old and it blew my mind. I thought it was insane to cook aubergines on an open flame until they’re practically incinerated on the outside. It went against everything I thought to be true about Indian food. However, the very beauty of it was that while the outside burns to a crisp, the inside is cooked until butter-soft and smoky. Perfection.

Some important things to remember when making this aubergine curry:

Before you start, make some holes through the aubergines – otherwise there will be explosions and they won’t be fun to clean up. I also recommend you line your gas cooker with aluminium foil. That way once you’re done, you can just lift it off and throw it away. Besides, nobody wants to be scrubbing their cooker for hours. You’ll only be using the inner flesh of the aubergine in the curry. As a result, the charred skin will eventually be discarded. Therefore, try to think about the skin as a protective layer that needs to be charred for the greater good of the flesh. Wow, that got philosophical quickly!

What can I add instead of spinach?

I’ve added spinach to this but to make classic Gujarati Oroh, simply leave it out. I like the combination of leafy green spinach and melt-in-the-mouth aubergine. Similarly, I’ve made this successfully with kale. Note: kale takes longer to cook than spinach so keep this in mind when simmering for a final time. It’s likely to take around 10-15 minutes longer.