Bharwa Baingan /Stuffed Eggplants

Ingredients:

     

• Baby Eggplants/Brinjals/Baingan/- 10
• Onion - 1 big
• Raw Peanuts/Groundnuts- 1 cup
• White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Dry Red Chillies - 4
• Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp
• Grated Jaggery or Brown Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt
• Oil

       

 How to prepare

• Finely chop onions and cilantro. 
• Roast the peanuts till they slightly darken in color.  
• Let them cool.  
• Grind roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, tamarind, red chillies, turmeric, little salt, jaggery, garam masala to a slightly coarse powder.

Stuffing for Eggplants: 

• In a mixing bowl, add the ground coarse powder.  
• Add ginger garlic paste and few tbsp water.  
• Stuffing must be thick and not runny.  
• Slit the eggplants in a crisscross pattern and fill them with the stuffing.  
• Save the leftover stuffing.
  
  

  How to prepare

  

• Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.  
• After few seconds, add onions and little salt.  
• Saute until onions turn soft.  
• Now add stuffed eggplants and the leftover stuffing.  
• Saute gently for a minute or two.  
• Add about 1 cup water, stir and cook it covered until eggplants turn soft.  
• Keep checking after every 2 - 3 minutes to avoid burning.  
• Flip/Turn the eggplants so that they are evenly cooked.
• Serve and enjoy the taste.