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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 14-16, about 1 ¼ lb Indian eggplants
  • 1, chopped medium onion
  • 1/3 cup shelled peanuts
  • 1/3 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/3 cup coconut powder
  • 1 tbsp tamarind/imli
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • 1 ½ inch ginger
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • chopped for garnishing cilantro leaves
For masala:
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seed
  • 1 tsp mustard seed
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder haldi
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 pinch asafetida hing
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seed
  • 1 tsp sugar/jaggery

Method
 

  1. Soak the tamarind/imli in warm water for 5-10 minutes, rub it using  your hands, sieve the extra water out and set aside
  2. Place the peanuts in a wok or frying pan and dry-roast for 4-5 minutes on medium flame until they turn pale pink
  3. Add sesame seeds to the wok or frying pan and dry-roast for 1-2 minutes on medium flame until they also turn pale pink
  4. Add coconut powder to the wok or frying pan and dry-roast for 1 minute on medium flame and then turn off the flame
  5. Coarsely grind the chopped onion, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut powder, tamarind puree, jalapeno pepper and ginger and set aside
  6. Cut each eggplant into fourths but make sure that the crown is still attached and set aside. NOTE: Cut about 80% of the eggplant (refer to picture)
  7. In the same wok or frying pan, place 2 tbsp oil on a medium flame, add asadetida (hing), mustard seed
  8. When the mustard seed starts to pop, add cumin seed and fenugreek seed to the wok or frying pan.
  9. When the masala starts to turn light  brown, add the grinded paste and stir for 5 minutes
  10. Add cumin powder, turmeric powder (haldi), red chili powder, garam masala, salt, coriander powder and sugar/jaggery  to the mixture and stir for about 5 minutes
  11. When you see the masala releasing oil, add eggplants and 1 cup water into the wok or frying pan
  12. Thoroughly stir all of the ingredients to properly coat the eggplants with the masala and cover with a lid. NOTE: You can add a little more water if you feel like the mixture is too dry. The consistency is supposed to be semi-solid
  13. Cook on low-medium flame for 10-12 minutes and occasionally stir
  14. Once the eggplants are cooked, garnish with cilantro leaves and serve alongside roti, naan, biryani, etc