Guthi vankaya kura ( stuffed eggplant) (baigan)

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

          ·        8 or 10 small round eggplant

          ·        Egg plant masala*

          ·        3 to 4 tsp oil for frying

 

Directions:
 

1.     Wash eggplant. Cut them in quarter length wise, keeping them uncut at the stem end.

2.     Fill them with masala mixture.

3.     Arrange them in a microwave safe dish. Sprinkle a little water.

4.     Cover and cook in a microwave safe dish for 5 minutes.

5.     Turn the eggplant in the pan and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.

6.     Heat a flat pan. Put 2 or 3 tsp of oil. Arrange eggplant carefully.

7.     Cook on medium heat, shifting eggplant from time to time.  Use a fork or spatula so that the eggplant is not crushed.

8.     When all the sides of the eggplant are uniformly cooked, remove from stove and serve.

Note:

If using long eggplant, cut into two inch long round pieces and then use them

If the eggplant are with seeds and not very tender, you may add 2 tbsp of dry coconut powder and  2 tsp amchur to the masala and use for stuffing

Alternate stuffing:

 

Cilantro and green chili paste.

Onion garlic (optional), chili powder and salt, coriander powder (optional)

Ground into a paste and stuffed.

 

*Eggplant Masala :

You can make the masala in a larger amount and store it for a long time. Very little oil is used only for frying red chili. The rest of the ingredients are roasted without oil. So the shelf life of the masala is good.  Also the masala can be used for kundru, beerakaya (ridge gourd) and summer squash like zucchini etc.

1/2 cup chana dal (chickpea dal)

1/2 cup  urad dal (blackgram dal)

1/2 cup coriander seeds

2tsp fenugreek seeds
 red chilies or chili flakes (amount according to taste)

2 to 3 tsp hing

Salt to taste

 

Heat a pan and add a few drops of oil.  Fry the chilis/chili flakes. 

Transfer them to another plate and roast all the other ingredients separately until they give a nice aroma.

When the mixture is cool, grind them all together in a blender or mill.  The powder need not be too fine; it can be coarse.