Usually, mashed eggplants (or Baingan ka bharta) is made by roasting eggplant on the stovetop at low heat. This gives a nice smoky flavor to the recipe, which makes the recipe so unique. Sometimes when making in an air fryer or in the Instant Pot, you will not get the same smoky flavor. So, you can add Smoked Paprika, some liquid smoke, smoked Olive Oil, or even Black Cardamoms. You can also use Dhungar Method, which many use for the smoky flavor in recipes like Dal Makhani, etc.