Meatless monday :Baby Eggplants in spicy gravy aka Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu

 I just can't resist myself from buying these purple baby eggplants whenever I see them in the grocery store.If you are following me, by this time you would have noticed my love for eggplants. I've already shared Barbecued eggplants with Zatar and Dry eggplant masala with you.

Making mom's recipe is what we all do. How would you feel if mom is cooking your recipe ? Wouldn't that be awesome ???? Yes, I told my mom about this recipe over the phone. After a couple weeks time I heard her saying ' Sujee , your recipe was just fantastic '. I felt like 'flying in the air'. Now this recipe is popularly termed as Sujatha's enna Kathirikkai Kuzhambu across my family members( you see a proud smile in me ??).

Now coming back to this recipe, it is easy to make and full of nutty flavors and textures. Don't blame me if you help yourself with extra loads.

Ingredients


Baby Eggplants ............................12
Channa dal .................................. 1 tbsp
Urad dal...................................... 1 tsp
Coriander seeds .......................... 2 tsp
Dried red Chillies ........................ 5, adjust to taste
Sesame seeds ...........................  1 tbsp
Roasted Peanuts .......................  1 1/2 tbsp
Coconut,.................................. 1 tbsp , freshly grated
Curry leaves ............................ few
Turmeric .................................... 1/2 tsp
Tamarind .................................... 1 tbsp, tightly packed
Salt ............................................ to taste

To temper

Mustard .................................... 1 tsp
Fenugreek ................................... 1/2 tsp
Oil............................................ 1tbsp + 1 tsp



Method

• Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes and extract the juice with a cup of water.
• Make cross slits in the eggplants , keeping the head intact.
• Heat a kadai , add channa dal, urad , coriander seeds, red chilles and dry roast until channa dal turns golden brown and transfer to a plate.
• In the same pan  add sesame seeds and curry leaves, roast until it pops up and transfer to the same plate.
• Roast the coconuts until it becomes dry and slightly turns in color.
• Now grind all this along with roasted peanuts and salt just enough for the masala and make a coarse paste.
• Divide the paste into two halves.
• Use one half of the paste to fill up or stuff the eggplants.
• Now Heat a kadai with a tsp of oil and add the mustard and fenugreek and curry leaves.
• Add the tamarind water, reserved half of the ground paste, turmeric and bit of salt and allow it to boil.
• Heat another shallow pan ( I used Lodge ) with a Tbsp oil and add the stuffed eggplants . Cook for 2 minutes and with a spoon slightly rotate the eggplants. repeat this until the eggplants are cooked and the skin turns crispy.
• Mean while check the consistency of the gravy, add water in case you find it thick.
• Finally add the fried eggplants and cover for 2 minutes. Garnish with Curry leaves.
• Enjoy with steaming hot rice with a dollop of ghee.