Stuffed Eggplant Curry

Ingredients

• Purple eggplant - 10
• Large onion - 1
• Garlic pods - 4
• Chilli powder - 3/4 tspn
• Coriander powder - 3/4 tspn
• Cumin powder - 1/4 tspn
• methi powder - 1/4 tspn
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
• Salt - 1 tspn
• Jaggery 1 tspn
• Tamarind paste - 1 tspn
• Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup

health tip

Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber. It's a very good source of vitamins B1, B6 and potassium. It’s a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, and folic acid. The skin is rich in antioxidant called Nasunin which helps to nourish the brain cells.

Stuffed Eggplant Curry

method

This is a tangy & spicy dish. The eggplants are quartered, stuffed & cooked in tamarind juice. The very look of it will make you drool. This recipe is in response to the Vegetable Marathon Eggplant event. For this recipe you will need fresh baby purple eggplant with no bruises. This dish goes well with rice & Paruppu masiyal (Dal).

1. Dry roast the peanuts & let it cool.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a kadai & saute the diced onion & garlic till they become tender or translucent. Let them cool. When cooled, grind into a fine paste adding roasted groundnuts, all the powders & salt.
3. Wash & cut the eggplants. Cut them from bottom halfway through top with the stem intact.
4. Stuff the eggplants with the ground paste. Keep the remaining paste aside.

Eggplant gets oxidized & turns brown when exposed to air. To prevent this soak the sliced eggplant in water till it is ready to cook.

5. In a kadai heat some oil & season it with cumin seeds & curry leaves. Add the stuffed eggplants & remaining paste with a cup of water. Cover the kadai & cook the eggplants turning from time to time not to let the bottom burn.
6. When the eggplants are 3/4th cooked add the tamarind paste & jaggery with another cup of water. Taste it & add salt if needed. Cover the pan & cook them till completely soft. Garnish it with coriander leaves & serve with rice.