This is a delicious stuffed eggplant recipe. This was inspired by the baby eggplants growing beautifully in my parent's garden. A gentle easy spice masala mix roasted and blended and then stuffed into the brinjals. cooked and then tossed in a yogurt-based curry - neither too spicy nor too tart - it's a great balance. have it with Makai Roti, Bajra Roti or rice!
This is a south Indian-inspired masala mix, perhaps a bit of Hyderabad is here too, along with Andhra. I’m not sure, but I mixed and matched a couple of youtube recipes and here we go. (this has been made once a week since!)
The Recipe
Ingredients
Masala:
200 g small eggplants (ravaiya)
water
1 tbsp oil
Stuffing Masala:
2-3 dry red chilies
1 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp white urad dal
½ tsp methi dana
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
Tempering:
1 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
6-9 curry leaves
1 small onion, sliced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
2 green chilies, chopped
1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
½ cup sour yogurt (khattu dahi), beaten
200 g small eggplants (ravaiya)
water
1 tbsp oil
Stuffing Masala:
2-3 dry red chilies
1 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp white urad dal
½ tsp methi dana
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
Tempering:
1 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
6-9 curry leaves
1 small onion, sliced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
2 green chilies, chopped
1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
½ cup sour yogurt (khattu dahi), beaten
Instructions
Dry roast the red chilies, peanut, coriander seeds and chana dal on low heat until fragrant and warmer in colour
Then add the urad dal, methi dana, cumin, sesame and garlic and dry roast until coloured
Switch off the heat and transfer to a plate to cool
Then blend to make a powder and then tip onto a plate and add salt and a few drops of vegetable oil to form a dough
Cut the ravaiya into four quarters from the bottom, keeping the stems intact
Stuff the masala gently into each cut and set aside
In a shallow pan place the eggplant in the pan and drizzle oil over it and cook for a few minutes, turning them often to blister all sides
Then add a little water to enable steam process and cover the lid and let it cook until eggplants are cooked through
In a separate pot, prepare the tempering by warming the oil and adding mustard seeds. Once they start to sputter add the curry leaves and sliced onions and fry
Add salt, turmeric and green chilies and fry until onions are brown
Then add the coriander leaves and mix and switch off the heat.
Add the beaten yogurt and stir well
Add the eggplants into the mix and stir well
Then add the urad dal, methi dana, cumin, sesame and garlic and dry roast until coloured
Switch off the heat and transfer to a plate to cool
Then blend to make a powder and then tip onto a plate and add salt and a few drops of vegetable oil to form a dough
Cut the ravaiya into four quarters from the bottom, keeping the stems intact
Stuff the masala gently into each cut and set aside
In a shallow pan place the eggplant in the pan and drizzle oil over it and cook for a few minutes, turning them often to blister all sides
Then add a little water to enable steam process and cover the lid and let it cook until eggplants are cooked through
In a separate pot, prepare the tempering by warming the oil and adding mustard seeds. Once they start to sputter add the curry leaves and sliced onions and fry
Add salt, turmeric and green chilies and fry until onions are brown
Then add the coriander leaves and mix and switch off the heat.
Add the beaten yogurt and stir well
Add the eggplants into the mix and stir well
