Stuffed Brinjal Roast

Other names - Stuffed Eggplant Roast / Stuffed Aubergine Roast

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: approx 45 min
Serves: 3

Ingredients

1. Brinjals (Violet & White striped) - 12 small sized
2. Tamarind extract (neither thick nor too thin) - 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
3. Water - 3/4 cup
4. Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
5. Salt - to taste
6. Ghee - 3 tsp

To grind to a smooth paste

1. Onions (peeled, washed, sliced & sauteed) - 2 medium sized
2. Thick jaggery extract (adjust to taste) - 3/4 tbsp
3. Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic pods - 10
5. Ginger (crushed)- 1" piece
6. Cinnamon - 1" stick
7. Dhania powder - 1 tsp
8. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
10. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Salt - to taste

For seasoning

1. Fenugreek seeds (pounded) -12 no's
2. Curry leaves - few

Method
To quarter the brinjals

1. Gently discard the stems of each brinjal; wash & pat dry.
2. Using a sharp knife, quarter each brinjal from the bottom towards half way of the upper part.
3. Repeat same method to quarter all the brinjals; set aside.

To prepare the stuffing

1. Heat ghee in a wok / pan, add garlic pods, crushed ginger, cinnamon stick; saute for a min or two.
2. Add the sliced onions and saute for about 3 to 4 min on high flame until golden brown; set aside to cool.
3. Once cool, grind to a coarse paste along with all the other ingredients mentioned above.
4. Stuff each & every quartered brinjal with about a teaspoon of the coarse paste gently and patiently; set them aside.
5. Stuff all the quartered brinjals in similar manner.
6. Keep aside the left over coarse paste for further use.

To prepare stuffed brinjals

1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, add curry leaves; saute for few sec.
2. Add pounded methi seeds; saute just for 5 to 6 sec until the aroma emanates the kitchen.
3. Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil along with the left over coarse paste and cook on high flame for 2 min.
4. Cover with lid and let them cook on low flame for about 15 min.
5. Stir fry contents at regular intervals to ensure even cooking as well as to avoid them sticking on to the pan.
6. Add the tamarind extract and three fourth cup of water.
7. Bring to boil; reduce flame to low; cover with lid and cook for about 15 min until fairly dry.
8. Open lid; cook on low flame for about 10 min until the brinjals get dry roasted perfectly.
9. Switch off gas & transfer contents on to a casserole.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambhar, rasam, chapathis, rotis and phulkas.