Stuffed Brinjals

Brinjals are Indian eggplants. They are much smaller than the regular eggplant or the baby eggplant that you find in the regular grocery stores. Brinjals are also known as aubergines. They look like this and this and are quite delicious. Kids hate them. As I once did.

Stuffed Brinjals
An original recipe


6 small Indian brinjals
2 large red potatoes, sliced like french fries
1 large clove garlic
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/8 cup roasted sesame seeds (or subsitute with tahini)
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 blobs of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder**optional
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (any will do)**optional
1 teaspoon tamarind extract
salt to taste
1/2 cup oil

Who said this was low cal? Not me!!

Make a paste from the peanuts, sesame seeds and garlic in a blender, adding about 1 cup water.
Add the tamarind extract, coriander powder, cumin powder, some turmeric powder and salt to this paste.
Slice the brinjals as if you were going to quarter them but don't cut through to the end, so that each brinjal just kind of opens up.
Stuff the brinjals with this paste. Leave some aside for the sauce.
Heat the oil and toss in the mustard seeds.
When they start spluttering, add the asafoetida, cumin seeds and turmeric powder
Add the sliced potatoes and fry till they are cooked.
Remove the potatoes and attempt to drain the oil on a paper towel. Season with salt.
Drop the stuffed brinjals into the oil.
Add the rest of the paste and the tomato paste.
Add the chilli powder and garam masala.
Cover and cook over low flame until the brinjals are tender, stirring from time to time.
Add water if the sauce starts thickening and drying up.
Just before serving, stir in the fried potatoes and garnish with some fresh chopped cilantro, if you have any.

Apparently brinjals are stocked with vitamin B and its relatives. As well as potassium, iron and zinc. They are also an excellent source of fibre. But they are like the potato: they absorb oil. Since there is a fair amount of oil in this recipe and then you have peanuts as well as sesame seeds, the fat content in this recipe is quite high. One trick to eat less is to up the heat. Yes, add more chilli powder. Try this with hot rotis or pitas or nan.

8 comments:

Indian Food Rocks said...

Hi Abhisekh, you bear the distinction of being the first person to comment on my blog!! I've a ton of stories but not enough time to post them. I remember hating brinjals as a kid. They used to make my tongue itch - some kind of an allergy, maybe? No-one cared at the time :-D there were far more pressing issues to attend to! Besides, I found the taste most unappealing. Now, I am a convert!! Our local doctor here makes a superb upma. It's the best I have ever eaten in my life. And he puts the large eggplant in it. And peanuts as well!! I have to get hold of his recipe. It's simply out of this world!!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Hi Sunny! Thanks for the kind words! I am hoping to have more stuff up here soon - but that is just not happening lately!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Oops! Looks like I deleted Sunny's comment by mistake! Sorry, Sunny!!

Here is what he said:
excellent blog... linking you. :) Yikes! I need to go wear the dunce cap for a while.

Indian Food Rocks said...

Aparna, good luck!! I know a lot of people who detest brinjals. I think the trick lies in making the masala spicy enough so that they forget that they are eating brinjals!

RML said...

Hi Manisha,
First time in your blog.Really your blog rocks!Great presentation of recipes.
Grt job!
Madhuri

Indian Food Rocks said...

Madhuri, welcome! Hope to see you around more!

Unknown said...

Hi Manisha,

I have visited your blog many times before...but only recently tried out couple of recipes (e.g. To-die-for broiled potatoes....just awesome). Many other are on my list to try out...Thanks for sharing these recipes.
Sarika

Indian Food Rocks said...

Sarika welcome! Oh those potatoes are to-die-for! I make them on a regular basis. Also consider cutting them long, like french fries, and including other roots and tubers like turnips, sweet potatoes, taro. Hope to see you around more!