Spicy Stuffed Eggplant Recipe
This spicy eggplant dish uses comparatively less oil and it is cooked in a microwave until the final step.
Summary
Preparation Time20 MinCooking Time35 Min
Ready In55 MinDifficulty LevelMedium
Ingredients
½ cup each chana dal and urad dal,
2 tablespoons coriander seeds,
2 tablespoons sesame seeds,
¼ cup broken red chili peppers,
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds,
¼ teaspoon asafoetida,
½ teaspoon turmeric powder,
1 ½ tablespoons natural tamarind concentrate
Salt to taste.
6 long Japanese eggplants
3 table spoons of oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
8 to 10 fresh curry leaves
Directions
Dry roast the dals first, followed by coriander seeds, red chilies and then sesame seeds. After sesame seeds start spluttering in the pan, stir in fenugreek and asafoetida and move the pan from the stove. When cool powder and then mix with tamarind, turmeric, and salt to taste. I usually make a batch of this spice powder and use what I need, depending on how many eggplant pieces I am cooking. I save the left over powder in the freezer for later use.
Wash and cut off the ends of the eggplant and cut into three inch pieces. Place each piece eggplant with the cut side down on a cutting board and cut vertically through the middle, without going all the way through. Turn the piece upside down and cut horizontally through the middle without going all the way through.
Stuff the prepared spice powder though both slits of the eggplant pieces and place them in a single layer in a microwavable dish with cover.
Heat one table spoons of oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the curry leaves and remove from the stove. Pour this seasoning over the eggplant pieces, cover and cook in microwave for 20 to 25 minutes at medium power. Adjust the time according to the power of the microwave oven.
Remove the cooked eggplant pieces from the microwave and let it sit for about five minutes.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and transfer the eggplant pieces to the pan and cook until they are slightly browned. Turn it over and cook the other side until it is slightly browned. Remove from the stove top, cover the skillet and set it aside. Serve warm with rice.
Wash and cut off the ends of the eggplant and cut into three inch pieces. Place each piece eggplant with the cut side down on a cutting board and cut vertically through the middle, without going all the way through. Turn the piece upside down and cut horizontally through the middle without going all the way through.
Stuff the prepared spice powder though both slits of the eggplant pieces and place them in a single layer in a microwavable dish with cover.
Heat one table spoons of oil in a skillet and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add the curry leaves and remove from the stove. Pour this seasoning over the eggplant pieces, cover and cook in microwave for 20 to 25 minutes at medium power. Adjust the time according to the power of the microwave oven.
Remove the cooked eggplant pieces from the microwave and let it sit for about five minutes.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and transfer the eggplant pieces to the pan and cook until they are slightly browned. Turn it over and cook the other side until it is slightly browned. Remove from the stove top, cover the skillet and set it aside. Serve warm with rice.
