Ennai Kathirikai kuzhambu | Stuffed Eggplant Gravy
It is a melt in your mouth baby brinjals/eggplant stuffed with the freshly ground masala and cooked in tangy tamarind gravy.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Small Baby brinjals - 8 -10 nos
- Tamarind paste - 2 tbs or as needed based on the tartness
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
For stuffing:
- Channa dal - 1 tbs this can be skipped if you don't have it.
- Coriander seeds - 2 tbs
- Cumin seeds jeera - 1 tsp
- Methi seeds - 1/8 tsp
- Pepper corns - 10 to 15 nos
- Tomato - 1/2
- Red chillis - 5-6 nos
- Sesame seeds - 2 tbs
- Coconut grated -1 tbs
- Salt as needed for the masala
For Seasoning:
- Hing - 1/2 tsp
- Sesame oil - 5 tbs
- Curry leaves
- Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
- Mustard seeds
Instructions
- First prepare the masala for stuffing.
- Dry roast all the ingredients under masala list to golden brown one at a time
- Once done, grind it to a smooth paste and set it aside.
- Now slit the Brinjals from the bottom into four. Cut up to half way and fully as we want the brinjal to hold its shape.
- Now in a pan ( I used my Soapstone pot) heat the sesame oil and add the mustard seeds, turmeric powder, hing and curry leaves.
- Once the mustard seeds splatter add in the stuffed brinjals. Now let it fry in the oil till the brinjal/eggplant cooks 3/4th .
- Next add in the tamarind paste and the rest of the masala paste to the pan with the eggplant. Add water to get the gravy consistency as needed
- Let this all cook together till the oil separates and float on the top. When it does turn off the heat. and serve it with hot rice.