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Sunday, November 6, 2016

Finger Licking Yummy Stuffed Baby Eggplants



I made these stuffed baby eggplants other day and they came out just like the title says "finger licking good" So I thought I will share with you all.
When you make Indian curry with fresh ground spices, its taste and flavor is totally different. This time that is what I did, used fresh roasted ground  spices and these eggplants were out of this world.
Dry Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup coriander seeds
  • 1/4 cup cumin seeds
  • 1/4 cup Urad dal
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 dried Anaheim pepper pods of any red chili pepper pods ( I used Guajillo chili pepper pods
     which a friend of mine had brought back from Mexico)
  • 1/4 cup cashew or peanuts
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Ingredients to make gravy filling
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 yellow or red pepper
  • 4 Serrano pepper
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 4 tables spoon oil divided in two parts
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds divided in two parts
  • 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
  • 1 table spoon tamarind paste
  • 1/4 cup of coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • Salt to to taste (~1and half teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon of Sambar or Rasam powder (optional) 
  • 1 teaspoon of garam masala (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder (optional)
  • 10 baby egg plant
  • 1/2 cup water
  • One small bunch of Cilantro washed and chopped
Method:
  • Wash and slit the eggplant lengthwise so the stem is intact.
  • Cook them in microwave in water or in boiling water on stove for 20-25 min until tender.
  • When cooked, drain all the water and set aside.
  • While the eggplant are cooking roast all the dry ingredients on a griddle of frying pan on stove constantly stirring on medium low heat.
  • When these are light brown and emitting nice aroma, you can turn the stove off and let them cool.
  • Once cool, grind them all in coffee grinder to fine powder.
  • Set aside
  • While the spices are cooling you can prepare the gravy.
Method to prepare gravy:
  • In a food processor chop red and yellow onions, garlic, Serrano pepper, yellow pepper to paste.
  • Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan.
  • When oil is hot add cumin seeds and when these crackle add asefoetida.
  • Add chopped onion, garlic pepper paste.
  • Saute on medium heat until golden brown.
  • Add crushed tomatoes.
  • Cook for 1 min then add all the ground dry spices along with coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and sarmbar/rasam powder (if using).
  • Add water.
  • Mix well and add salt and tamarind paste. 
  • Cook on slow heat for few min until reduced to paste and all the water is gone.
  • Set aside.
 
Method to prepare eggplants:
  • By now the cooked and drained eggplant must be cool and easy to handle.
  • Make sure all the water is drained out.
  • Filled cooking filling with spoon in each eggplant.
  • There may be some filling left that is okay.
  • Heat remaining 2 tablespoon of oil in a wok like pan.
  • Make sure oil is all around the pan.
  • Add cumin seed in heated oil and when these splatter, add one by one eggplant in to the pan and remaining unused filling.
  • Gently toss the egg plant and cook for min.
  • Turn the heat off.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro. 
  • Serve hot with Naan, or Chapati/roti and or Rice.
Enjoy !!


Recipe and photographs by Surekha.

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