Bagara Baingan (Stuffed Eggplant)

Cuisine: South Indian

Serves: 6-7

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 5 - 6 dried red chillies
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 8 - 10 brinjals slit into + form
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tomato
• 1 large lemon size tamarind extracted pulp
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves for garnishing

• 1 tbsp peanuts
• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 medium sized onions sliced

Preparation:

1. Firstly cut the brinjals into + form and put them in salt water.
2. Dry roast peanuts, coconut, sesame seeds separately and allow it to cool.
3. In a pan, add onions, smear little oil and roast them for a minute.
4. Make a fine masala paste of all the roasted ingredients which are peanuts, coconut, onions, sesame seeds and put it aside.
5. In a cooking pot, add oil and heat it, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
6. Add fenugreek seeds, dried red chillies, saute well, add curry leaves.
7. Add the brinjals/eggplant/baingan and fry them well until the color of the baingan changes.
8. Add ginger garlic and saute well for few minutes.
9. Add the masala paste into it, mix well.
10. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, mix well and cook the masala until oil appears at the corners.
11. Add the tamarind extracted pulp and stir well.
12. Add water if required and salt too.
13. Add tomato which is cut into two halves.
14. Cook the whole bagara baingan ka salan until the gravy thickens and oil appears.
15. Garnish with coriander leaves.
16. Serve hot with rice or flat bread (Roti/Paratha)