Ingredients:

Onion (large) – 1

Tomato (large) – 1

Garlic – 6 cloves (cut it into half)

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp (optional, add to your taste)

Tamarind – small ball size (soak into water)

Salt to taste

Dry roast & grind into paste:

Ground nuts – 1 tbsp

Coconut (fresh) – 2 tbsp (chopped)

Jeera/ cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Fenugreek/ methi seeds – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Channa dal/bengal gram dal/chick pea – 1 tbsp

Pepper corns (optional) – ½ tsp

Whole dry red chili – 2 nos

Whole coriander seeds – 2 tbsp

Marinate & frying :

                                              

Oil – 2 tbsp

Baby eggplant/brinjal – 10 (cut it into plus shape)

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

Tempering:

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds/jeera – 1 tsp

Fennel seeds – ½ tsp

Whole dry red chili – 2 nos

curry leaves – 1 strand

Method:

• First wash the brinjal/eggplant, trim its stem and cut it plus shape to the bottom (don’t remove the stem fully).

• Now mix all the marinating ingredients in a dry bowl and stuff into brinjal & keep aside for 10 minutes.

• Dry roast all the ingredients, grind it with soaked tamarind & make it into paste.

• Keep the pan on low heat, add oil and pan fry the brinjal. After frying removes the excess oil using paper towel.

• In the same pan, add mustard seeds after it gets spluttering, add cumin, fennel seeds, red chili and curry leaves sauté it for a minute.

• Now add garlic, after it gets golden brown, then add finely chopped onion and sauté until it turns to pink color & tender.

• After that add red chili and turmeric powder, sauté it for 2 minutes till the raw flavor goes off.

• Now add finely chopped tomatoes and cook until woes out its moisture (looks like mushy).

• Now add the fried brinjal/ eggplant, grounded paste and add generous amount of water.

• Cover it with lid & cook it for 15 minutes on medium flame, once the oil float on the top switch of the flame.

• Garnish it with cilantro.

• Serve it hot and enjoy it with steamed rice & pappad.

Hint:

• Brinjal/ eggplant curry goes well with dosa, idly, paratha & chappathi (Indian bread).

• Ginegelly oil makes the dish more tasty then any other oil.

• Also garnish with fried cashew nuts (enrich its taste).