Statutory Warning: Not recommended for health freaks.
This is one of my grandmother's specialities. Almost twice a month it is a regular at her place. As the name suggests, this needs a lot of oil to get the right taste. So, if you are a health freak or not in the mood to indulge in something just for its taste, then it is a better idea to just smell it.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
500 gms of small dark purple brinjals ( the caps need not have to be chopped off)
Oil
Salt
1 tbsp turmeric powder
a dash or two of Aesofatida
Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup (optional)
Masala Powder:
Dry roast the following ingrdients, spread and cool. Once at room temperature, grind them very finely.
Coriander seeds - 2 portions
Cumin seeds - 1 portions
Channa Dal - 2 portions
Dried Red Chillies - 8-10
Black Sesame seeds - 1/2 a portion
Roast Sesame seeds sepearately. Also, add the chillies in the end. Use as much required and store the rest in an air-tight container.
Method:
Cut the Eggplants from the bottom in the form of a cross making two cuts, keeping the caps in tact. Keep aside in a bowl of water, turmeric and salt, so that they don't change color. Meanwhile, in a bowl mix the freshly ground masala with turmeric powder, aesofatida, salt and the tamarind pulp. Tamarind pulp is completely optional, as my grandmother makes with it and mother-in-law without. Both tastes equally good. The difference it can make is with the amount of spice (hotness) you require. If are someone who likes it to very spicy, then add the tamamrind pulp to balance it out. Else, just give it a skip.
Stuff the eggplants by coating the insides with this masala. Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a pan. Add these stuffed babies into it and close the lid. Once the eggplants trun pale, remove lid and keep stirring so that they don't burn. Keep cooking until the eggplants lose the sogginess and begin turning crisp. You might have to add oil if all of the initially added oil gets absorbed. Sometimes, there might be some oil left in the pan, once cooked. drain it off.
Serve hot. Enjoy one of my favorite delicacies from my grandma's kitchen.
