Badnekayi ennegayi(stuffed eggplant)

Ingredients

• 8 small purple coloured eggplants
• 1.5 tablespoon Oil
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• A strand of curry leaves
• A generous pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 onion cut finely
• Salt as per taste

For the Masala:

• 3/4 cup Grated coconut
• 3  teaspoons Coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons Jeera
• 3-4 Cloves
• little cinnamon powder/stick
• 8-10  Dry Red Chilies, low/medium spiced
• 2 teaspoons Sesame seeds/Til,  white
• 10-12  Peanuts
• 1 teaspoon tamarind water(instead even 1 tomato can be used)
• 1 medium sized Onion cut

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Preparation

• Dry roast the coriander seeds, jeera, red chilies, cloves, cinnamon, til and peanuts until the peanuts start popping a little(make sure none of the spices are over roasted).
• Grind the roasted spices with coconut, onion, tamarind, and salt; Add just enough water to make it a coarse paste; Keep aside.
• Slit the washed eggplants lengthwise . Stuff the eggplants with the ground masala and keep aside.
• Save the remaining masala for making the gravy. Heat oil in a Saucepan; Temper with mustard seeds, Asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Add finely chopped onions and saute for a minute. Slowly drop the stuffed eggplants one by one into the pan(Let the gas flame be in Sim).
• Flip the eggplants once in a while, so that they are cooked on all sides;Saute regularly and continue to cook covered, until the eggplants are done. Add the gravy and mix well .
• Cover the saucepan and let the masala settle well with the eggplants. Add little water if you feel the mixture is dry.
• Saute for 8-10 minutes and now the ennegayi is ready.