MASALA BAINGAN (Badane` kayi Palya)

Bharwan baingan:
Bharwan Baingan or stuffed Eggplants, a Maharashtrian favorite is one of my best and the tastiest dishes so far in my collection ,if I can say so myself!! Usually, round eggplants are slit and stuffed and sauteed in a pan with lot of oil. As usual, I do my way which is lot easier and better tasting because spices distributes evenly throughout the dish except looks different visually!! So , here it is and have fun making it in my own unconventional style....

You Need:

4-6 Purple Eggplants or round Eggplants
1 Chopped Onion
Salt
Cilantro
2 tsp oil
1-2 tsp Ghee

To Roast:
1/4 Cup Dry Coconut(until reddish)
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 Onion
4 Cloves
4 Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
6 Cashew Nuts

Add and Grind with:
1 tsp Sugar or Jaggery
2 tsp Tamarind Paste

METHOD:

1. Dry roast all the above one by one until you get a reddish color ,add the other two ingredients and grind to a smooth paste.
2. Heat 2 tsp oil and ghee, fry onion until reddish.Add cut eggplants and any other veggies like onion slices or Pearl onions and potato cubes(both roasted seperately until reddish)if you are using and fry until almost cooked in oil.
3.Add in the ground masala,salt and cilantro,simmer until oil shines on the top.
4. Serve with Rice Rottis or Parathas.
5. This dish tastes better the next day if you have patience!:)

Another look:


NOTE:
1. You can add roasted cubed potatoes and fried pearl onions with eggplants, which I think would be a very good classic combination!!
2. If you use round Eggplants,slit each halfway vertically keeping the bottom intact in to four segments like X shape from the top ,stuff the prepared masala and fry the whole eggplants in 1/4 cup oil in a non-stick pan,cover and cook until soft but mushy on a medium heat.Add tbsps of water if it is sticking to the bottom but not too much.Idea is to fry in oil.

SERVE WITH PARATHAS:


SERVE WITH PLANTATION STYLE RICE ROTTIS TOO:

Enjoy!!