edit

Spiced Baby Eggplants

4 tsp urad dal or split dehusked black gram lentils
2 tsp cumin seeds
7-8 fenugreek seeds or methi
1/4 cup curry leaves
4-5 dry red chilies (mild or hot)
Baby Eggplants
10 small purple baby eggplants
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
Miscellaneous
1/4 cup water
1 tsp oil (neutral oil)
salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the spice mixture
Keep each ingredient ready before you start roasting them.
Dry roast each ingredient separately.
Allow them to cool down completely before you make a semi coarse powder out of it.
Don’t make a fine powder or a very coarse powder.
Add a few tablespoons of water to one tablespoon of spice mixture, add a pinch of salt and make a thick mixture.
Because it has roasted lentils, it soaks water and becomes thick.
Once it becomes thick and pasty, add a few drops of water and make the paste little runny not watery.
Stuff the eggplants
Shake off the excess salt and salted water from the eggplants and add the mixture to each eggplants with a spoon or by using your fingers.
Coat the inside of the eggplant well and repeat the same process for rest of the eggplants.
Cook the eggplants
Add a teaspoon of oil to a nonstick frying pan.
Add each eggplant carefully and cover and cook.
Turn the eggplants after a few minutes and cover and cook again.
Once the eggplants look half cooked, add the rest spice mixture and toss well so that the spice coats the eggplants well.
Cook for few more minutes until eggplants are fully cooked and soft.
Serve with cauliflower rice and daal.
Recipe Notes
Use fresh and young baby eggplants for this recipe.
Don’t add excess salt to the eggplants or to the spice mixture.
Add more oil while cooking if you are not using a nonstick pan.