Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 – Brinjals
• 1 – onion, small sized chopped
• 1 – tomato, medium sized chopped
• 1 – tamarind, gooseberry sized
• 7 to 8 – Curry leaves
• 1 pinch – Hing
• 1/2 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Fenugreek / Methi seeds
• 1/2 tbsp – oil
• salt to taste
• For grinding:
• 1/4 tsp – methi/ Fenugreek seeds
• 1.50 tsp – Coriander seeds
• 2 – Dried red chillies
• 1 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp – Channa dal
• 1 tsp – Urad Dal
• 1/2 tbsp – Coconut

Method:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients to be grounded in a pan until it releases a nice aroma.
2. Make it into a fine paste by grinding them in a mixer grinder.
3. Slit the brinjals at the bottom and immerse them in water to avoid discolouration.
4. Insert the spice paste into the brinjals using a butter knife and keep the remaining paste for the gravy.
5. Fry the stuffed brinjals in oil for 3 to 4 minutes, remove it from oil and keep it aside.
6. Start preparing the gravy by heating the oil in a kadai or pan, splutter the mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves.
7. Add the chopped onions and fry it till the onions become nice and soft, then add tomatoes, stir it well.
8. Keep the flame on medium, cover the pan and cook till the tomatoes get soft and mushed up.
9. Now add the remaining paste and stir well, extract the juice from the tamarind by adding little water, add the tamarind extract to the gravy and salt to taste.
10. Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
11. Now add the fried brinjals and gently stir it without breaking it.
12. If the gravy is too thick, add some water to dilute the gravy.
13. Cover it and cook until the brinjals are soft and oil floats on top of the gravy.
14. Serve it warm with plain rice and poppadoms, it also goes well with pulav and biriyani.
15. Recipe Courtesy: Taste of Pearl City

Recipe courtesy of Ayeesha Riaz