Stuffed Brinjal

Ingredients:

250 gms small round green Brinjal
200 gms small round onions

20 gms groundnuts
8 gms tamarind - soak
7 gms Rasam powder
5 gms Red chilli powder
8 gms salt
12 gms jaggery
20 gms fresh grated coconut
5 gms coriander
3 gms curry leaves
4 gms ginger
2 gms garlic
1 pinch turmeric

For the seasoning :
3 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp jeera
2 strings curry leaves
1 pinch hing

Method:

Peel the skin of the onions and keep aside. Cut the stem of the brinjal, and from the opposite side slit brinjal into 4, without cutting into pieces. Soak in salted water.

Grind together groundnuts, tamarind, rasam powder, red chilli powder, salt, jaggery, coconut, coriander leaves, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and a little turmeric powder, with sufficient water.

Stuff this mixture into the slit brinjal - a little in each brinjal. Reserve the rest of it.

Heat oil in a pressure pan, add the mustard, jeera, curry leaves and hing. Now add the peeled onions, and fry on a low flame for 5 minutes, with a lid. Keep stirring every 2 minutes.

Now arrange the stuffed brinjals on top of the onions, and pour the reserved masala paste over them. If the paste is thick, add water to make it into a pouring consistency and then pour over the brinjals. Keep the lid and pressure cook till 1 whistle.

Let it cool. Remove the lid, mix and transfer to a serving bowl.

Variation: Cut the onions and the brinjal lengthwise. Heat oil, add mustard, jeera, curry leaves and hing. Add the cut brinjal and onion and fry on a low flame, till they are cooked. Now add the ground masala and fry till done.