Bharwan Baingan (Stuffed Eggplants)

Eggplants are delicate in flavor and absorb other flavors very well. I have used a sweet and spicy peanut flavored mixture with onions and coconut to fill them along with a host of complimentary spices that enhance the taste of eggplants. The eggplants have to be cooked over a slow flame with utmost care in order to preserve the natural flavors of this dish.

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Serves : 3

Ingredients :

10 small round eggplants or baingan

2 green chillies chopped

1 big onion finely chopped

2 tbsp peanuts

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp tamarind pulp

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp poppy seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

6 peppercorns

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

a small bunch or 1/2 cup of fresh coriander leaves finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut

1/4 cup of dry grated coconut

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

1 tsp garam masala powder

2 tbsp oil

for the tadka or tempering :

1 tsp mustard seeds

a few curry leaves

2 cloves of crushed garlic

Method:

• Heat a pan and dry roast the spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns) and the peanuts. Keep them aside.
• In the same pan, add some oil and fry the onions till they are slightly brown in color and then fry both (dry and fresh) coconut separately in the same manner and keep aside.
• In a blender, combine the dry roast spices, peanuts, roasted onions, fried coconut, tamarind pulp, green chillies, salt, sugar, coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste and some water and puree it. It should turn out to be a thick light green paste.
• Slit each eggplant lengthwise into four, keeping the stem end intact.
• Stuff the the slit eggplants with the green paste or green masala reserving some
• Heat some oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and crushed garlic and fry for a minute or two.
• Then add the remaining green masala which was reserved and fry nicely till it starts changing color. While frying this, add the garam masala powder to it
• Then add the stuffed eggplants and 1/2 cup water and cover and cook them over a slow flame till the eggplants are cooked completed
• Serve hot with parathas or Indian bread.