Ringan no Olo Recipe: Kathiyawadi Roasted Eggplant Mash

Ringan no Olo (also called Olo or Baingan Bharta) is the smoky roasted eggplant mash every Kathiyawadi home makes in winter. Serve it with bajra no rotlo, raw onion and a little ghee - that is a full village meal.

Ringan no Olo at a glance

Detail	This recipe
Serves	3 to 4
Main ingredient	1 large ringan, about 400-500 g
Roasting	10-12 minutes on an open flame, or 30-35 minutes in a 220 C oven
Cooking after roasting	About 4-5 minutes
Best with	Bajra rotla, raw onion, ghee and chaas

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

• 1 large ringan (eggplant/brinjal), about 400-500 g
• 2 tbsp oil (groundnut oil gives the best taste)
• 6-8 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (optional - many Kathiyawadi homes add it raw at the end)
• 1 tomato, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, salt to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped

Prep checklist

• Pick one large, glossy ringan with tight skin; light for its size is better (see Tips).
• Wash and dry it completely before oiling, so the oil does not spit on the flame.
• Peel and crush the garlic, chop the chillies, onion, tomato and coriander before you start roasting.
• Keep tongs ready for turning the ringan over the flame, and a plate to rest it on.
• If you are making rotla, knead the bajra dough while the ringan cools.

How to Make Ringan no Olo

1. Roast the ringan. Wash, dry and rub a little oil on the skin. Roast directly on an open flame, turning every 2-3 minutes, until the skin chars and the inside goes fully soft (10-12 minutes). You can also roast it in an oven at 220 C for 30-35 minutes.

Doneness check: the skin should be black and wrinkled all over, the ringan should look collapsed, and a knife or skewer pushed in near the stem should slide through with no resistance. If the stem end is still firm, keep roasting; a raw centre gives a hard, bitter patch in the olo.

Oven method tip: pierce the ringan a few times with a fork, place it on a lined tray and turn it once halfway so it softens evenly. Use the same doneness check. Never leave a ringan unattended on an open flame.

2. Cool, peel and mash. Rest 5 minutes, peel off the burnt skin, and mash the pulp roughly with a fork. A few small lumps are good - olo should not be a paste.

3. Temper. Heat oil, add crushed garlic and green chilli, fry 30 seconds. Add chopped tomato if using and cook 2 minutes. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.

4. Cook the mash. Add the mashed ringan, mix well and cook 4-5 minutes on medium flame until the oil shows at the sides.

5. Finish. Switch off the flame. Mix in raw chopped onion and coriander. Cover for 2 minutes so the onion softens slightly but keeps its bite.

What should the finished olo look like?

A rough, spoonable mash with visible bits of ringan, garlic and onion. It should hold together on the rotla without being runny, with a light sheen of oil at the edges.

How to Serve

With hot bajra na rotla, a spoon of ghee, raw onion rings and chaas. In many homes it also goes with lasan ni chutney (garlic chutney) and jaggery.

Tips

The smoky taste is the soul of olo - roast on an open flame if you can. Choose a ringan that feels light for its size; heavy ones have more seeds.

Planning tip: the ringan takes the longest, so start roasting it first and use the cooling time to make rotla or chaas.

Common mistakes and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Watery olo	Ringan had many seeds or lots of juice	Cook a few minutes more, uncovered, until the oil shows at the sides
Bitter or burnt bits	Charred skin left in the pulp	Peel carefully and wipe off black flakes; avoid rinsing the pulp, which washes away the smoky taste
Raw patches	Ringan not roasted through	Roast longer, especially at the thick stem end
No smoky taste	Roasted only in the oven	Finish the ringan on an open flame for a few minutes if you can

Variations (optional)

• Green garlic and spring onion: in winter, many homes add chopped lilu lasan (green garlic) and spring onion greens along with or instead of the onion.
• Without tomato: skip it for a drier, more garlicky olo; the recipe already marks tomato as optional.
• Milder: use one green chilli and half the red chilli powder.

Storage

Olo tastes best the day it is made, while the smoky flavour is fresh. Keep any leftover in a covered container in the fridge, use it up soon, and reheat it until hot. Add fresh onion and coriander after reheating.

FAQs

Can I make olo without a gas flame? Yes. Roast it in the oven at 220 C for 30-35 minutes, as in step 1. The taste will be less smoky.

Is Ringan no Olo the same as Baingan Bharta? They are close cousins. The Kathiyawadi olo usually leans on garlic, green chilli and raw onion, and is eaten with bajra rotla.

Which ringan is best? One large, light ringan with fewer seeds. Small ones also work, but roasting several takes longer.

Why add the onion at the end? Raw onion keeps a crunchy bite against the soft mash, the way many Kathiyawadi homes serve it.

For the full winter thali, see Bajra Rotla with Ringan no Olo, and pair it with a bowl of Gujarati Kadhi.

More Kathiyawadi recipes: Sev Tameta nu Shaak | Adadiya Pak | Namak Para.

Last updated: October 24, 2026.