When I was very young, I did not relish any kind of eggplant(baingan in Hindi) dish. As I grew up and started taking interest in different cuisines of India, I understood that eggplant is cooked in every state and region of India in a different way. So no two dishes are the same. Being from North India and specially influenced by rich Punjabi cuisine, my stuffed baby eggplant dish became quite a hit in our family. These baby eggplants are slit half way and then stuffed with a combination of spices and are left to simmer in spicy gravy. The result is finger licking good.
Ingredients:
10 baby eggplants or bringal (white or purple both will be fine)
Spices for stuffing:
2 tsp of dry mango powder, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of red pepper, 1/4 tsp of garam massala or curry powder,
Ingredients for the Gravy:
2 medium onions chopped finely, 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed, 1 tsp of grated ginger, 2 tomatoes chopped finely, 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds(Rai), 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp garam massala, salt to taste,1 tbsp of cooking oil.
Method:
Wash, wipe and take off the stems of the eggplant. Slit half way into quarters.
Mix stuffing spices in a small bowl. Stuff these spices in the slits of the baby eggplants.Put these aside.
In a pan, heat the oil, add fenugreek seeds. When they turn light brown, add cumin and mustard seeds.
Now add ginger, onion and garlic in that order with a gap of ten seconds between each condiment and reduce heat to medium.
When onion mix turns light brown add tomatoes and cover the pan.
Once everything is well blended, uncover the pan, add coriander powder and salt( keep in mind that stuffed eggplants have some salt too).
Add the stuffed eggplants and stir well but very gently so that eggplant pieces do not break.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer till eggplants are done. It takes at least half hour to 40 minutes.
Just before they are about to be done, add yogurt and increase the heat to medium for a couple of minutes. once yogurt dries up, add garam massala(curry powder) and turn off the flame.
Enjoy with nan, chapati or parantha.
Ingredients:
10 baby eggplants or bringal (white or purple both will be fine)
Spices for stuffing:
2 tsp of dry mango powder, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of red pepper, 1/4 tsp of garam massala or curry powder,
Ingredients for the Gravy:
2 medium onions chopped finely, 4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed, 1 tsp of grated ginger, 2 tomatoes chopped finely, 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds), 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds(Rai), 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp garam massala, salt to taste,1 tbsp of cooking oil.
Method:
Wash, wipe and take off the stems of the eggplant. Slit half way into quarters.
Mix stuffing spices in a small bowl. Stuff these spices in the slits of the baby eggplants.Put these aside.
In a pan, heat the oil, add fenugreek seeds. When they turn light brown, add cumin and mustard seeds.
Now add ginger, onion and garlic in that order with a gap of ten seconds between each condiment and reduce heat to medium.
When onion mix turns light brown add tomatoes and cover the pan.
Once everything is well blended, uncover the pan, add coriander powder and salt( keep in mind that stuffed eggplants have some salt too).
Add the stuffed eggplants and stir well but very gently so that eggplant pieces do not break.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer till eggplants are done. It takes at least half hour to 40 minutes.
Just before they are about to be done, add yogurt and increase the heat to medium for a couple of minutes. once yogurt dries up, add garam massala(curry powder) and turn off the flame.
Enjoy with nan, chapati or parantha.
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