Bharva Baingan (Stuffed Eggplants)

In my previous post I had mentioned about fresh veggies that i had got from our friends’ farm…..so after cooking green tomatoes, i had now lovely juicy, plump and seedless brinjals /eggplants remaining with me. I decided to make stuffed brinjal the way that Anu had made previously….so here goes…Stuffed brinjal with coconuts, peanuts / groundnuts and a  lot more….

Ingredients:

Small Brinjal / eggplants: 10 – 12 nos
Peanuts – Roasted & ground coarsely : 1/2 cup
Garlic & ginger paste: 1 tsp
2 med sized onions: finely chopped
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Dhania / coriander powder : 2 tsp
Chilli powder & salt:  according to taste
oil: 2 tsp + 1 tbsp
To grind: 1 tsp Jeera / cumin seeds, 3-4 cloves, 4-5 black pepper corns, 1inch cinnamon and 1/2 cup of dry coconut pieces
For garnish: 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander

Method:

1. Grind the ingredients as mentioned above (to a fine powder) and set aside in a seperate cup.
2. Take a kadai / wok/ non-stick vessel and heat 2 tsp of oil in it.
3. Once the oil is warm (not very hot), add the ginger & garlic paste, cook till the paste loses the raw smell. (take care that it does not get burnt).
4. Add the chopped onion and cook till they are soft and nice pink in colour.
5. Reduce the flame  and add the masalas (turmeric powder, chilli powder and dhania powder).
6. Add the ground mixture and salt to this and mix well. Take care that the mixed masala does not get burnt.
7. Remove this mixture away from heat and let it cool. Once it is cooled grind to a fine paste.
8. Wash the brinjals / eggplants and make slits in them.

To slit follow the below instructions:

• Make slits on the side opposite to the green tops on the brinjal
• On this side make a vertical slit to 3/4th the depth of the complete depth of the vegetable
• Make another slit perpendicular to the one done previously

9. Fill equal amounts of the ground mixture in between the slits of the brinjals and set aside.
10. Take  1 tbsp oil in a vessel, heat it and add the stuffed brinjals to the vessel.
11. Slowly mix the brinjals, add ground mixture (if remaining), close the vessel with lid and cook till the brinjals are fully cooked.
12. Once the brinjals are cooked, add the peanuts to the vessel and mix well (slowly, so that the brinjals are not broken to a mush).
13. Garnish with fresh, finely chopped coriander leaves.
14. Serve hot with rotis or steamed rice….

~ by priyaskitchen on November 26, 2010.