Stuffed Baby Eggplants without onions

Ingredients:

8 baby eggplant white or purple
3 table spoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Mango powder
2 teaspoon Cumin powder
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala
2 teaspoon Sambar powder (optional)
¾ cup chick peas flour(besan)
3 table spoon oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida
1.5 cup of water
¼ cup coriander/Cilantro chopped for garnish


Method:

Wash baby eggplants & slit them in the center as in a cross-section but do not cut them in halves

Fry eggplants in 1 table spoon oil in a shallow pan until they soften a little bit & keep them aside.

On low to medium heat roast chick peas flour for 3 min in a frying pan, constantly stirring so does not get burnt then add the powder spices except Asafoetida, turn the heat off.

Stuff the eggplants with this powdered mix. Keep aside.

In a deep pan, heat remaining oil, add cumin seed mustard seeds, add asafoetida when the seed crackle.

Immediately add the stuffed eggplants. Add the leftover powder spice mix, mix, Add 1.5 cup of water.

Transfer them in microwave safe dish.

Cook them in microwave covered for 10 min, turning them over in its spice mix after 5 min)

Garnish with cilantro.

Serve Hot.

Recipe by my mom.
Photo by Surekha.

Tips: Mango powder can be substituted with Lime juice.