Stuffed Brinjals with Tomato Curry

Today is the kind of weather when it can't make up its mind whether its really cold or springy! Its been drizzling since the morning and a little foggy just the kind of weather that motivates me to cook and steam up the kitchen windows :)) The recipe am about to share is something I watched on the telly but I have modified it a little to give it an Indian twist. This is the most satisfying dish I have ever made and it goes in my list of favorites to make when I have friends and family over. This can be quite exciting for kids as well, if you tone the spices down. I love aubergines, brinjals or eggplants as they are commonly known, have tried various dishes with it, but this recipe for stuffed aubergines tops the list, its really very tasty and doesn't need anything else to go along with it, you can have this as a starter or a main course with a lovely glass or wine or sherry. So here goes your shopping list:

1. 1 large aubergine (in India, the one used to make baigan bharta)
2. Salt and Paprika
3. Oil for frying

For the stuffing:

1. 4 small size potatoes
2. 150 gms paneer / cottage cheese /  fresh goats cheese will work really well too. Use what ever you can find
3. 2 chilies red / green. Leave the seeds in if you want to make it spicy, else get rid of them just to get a chili flavour
4. good bunch of coriander
5. half finely chopped onion
6. 1 finely grated garlic
7. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
8. salt to taste
9. toasted sesame seeds
10. a pinch of aamchur / mango powder (optional)

Sauce:

1. Half a can of chopped tomatoes, fresh 3 tomatoes will do if you don't wish to use canned.
2. Half finely chopped onion
3. 1 clove finely chopped garlic
4. 1/2  teaspoon ginger
5. handful of coriander leaves
6. a good pinch of asafoetida
7. 1 tea spoon of cumin and coriander powder
8. a good pinch of fenugreek seeds
9. 1 teaspoon of sugar or a piece of jaggery
10. a good pinch of Chili powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
12. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
13. whole mustard and cumin seeds
14. Salt to taste

Garnish:

1. Naturally set yogurt or creme fraiche

Lets get cooking :)

Prepare the Aubergine / Eggplants

1. slice the aubergine into medium thick slices.
2. Core the slices
3. sprinkle salt and paprika (optional) toss the slices well and set them aside to atleast 15 mins to 30 mins. This is to draw out all the moisture from the aubergine.

Stuffing:

1. Boil and mash the potatoes
2. Break the cheese / paneer into fine pieces or mash it in with the potatoes. I lefts some fine pieces so that taste nice when cooked and its feels like a surprise to get a bit of cheese or paneer now and then.
3. finely chop chilies and add to the mixture
4. Add the garilic ginger, onion, salt, sesame seeds, coriander and aam chur (mango) powder.
5. Mix everything thoroughly and set it aside.

Prepare the stuffed  aubergine:

1. Line a plate or chopping board with the cling film to avoid the stuffed aubergines sticking to the base of the plate.
2. place the cored slices and stuff the prepared stuffing in the slices.
3. They should look like the picture

Frying the aubergine:

1. Take a large skillet or pan with a thick bottom.
2. pour grapeseed oil, I use grapeseed since its got a highest heating point and work well for frying, but please feel free to use any oil  of your preferences.
3. Shallow fry the stuffed aubergine and set them on a tissue paper to drain all excessive oil.

Sauce:

1. Heat up a table spoon of oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Stand well back because these tend to sputter a lot. I generally cover the pan to save them from sputtering out of the pan.
2. Add garlic and giner and fry until brown
3. Add the onion and fry until brown.
4. Add the asafoetida and fenugreekseeds.
5. Add the tomatoes
6. Add the rest of the spices, salt and sugar.
7. Let everything simmer for 10 minutes
8. Add the coriander and let it sit for another 5 mins.
9. Now transfer the fried aubergines to the sauce.
10. Before you transfer the aubergine slices, remove some sauce aside to garnish.

Garnish:

Garnish the aubergine slices with some sauce, a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche and you are ready to eat :)

Bon Appétit!!!