Ennegayi (Stuffed Eggplant)

This is my mom's recipe, and my favorite curry so far. Any stuffed veggies curry seems like a lot of work, but this one is easy breezy, because of the use of the readily available curry powder at home, instead of preparing the stuffings from scratch. I have tried it both ways, and at least for me, this one wins hands down.

This recipe serves four.


Ingredients:
10-12 Eggplants (small and round)
1 small onion sliced
8-10 curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 tablespoons coarsely ground roasted groundnuts  (optional)
2 teaspoons garam masala
lime juice of half a lime 
cilantro for garnishing




For Stuffing:
Olive oil 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 tablespoon Sambhar Powder or Vangibath Powder
1 tablespoon Jeera (cumin) powder 


Method:
Cut off the stem part of the eggplant and cut it into halves lengthwise.
Now make vertical slits on the inside as show below.  

Now soak it in the water until ready for filling

Mix all the ingredients listed for stuffing and fill it in the vertical slits as shown above.


Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat
Once hot add in mustard seeds 
Once they start spluttering add in curry leaves and add in onion after 5 seconds
After onion is half done (for about 5 minutes) arrange the eggplants in the skillet such that stuffings are on top
And add in any leftover stuffings on top and cover the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes.
Now add in garam masala and groundnut powder and add in water if required and cover the lid again and cook till eggplants are done, lightly tossing once in a while. To test if done, just pierce in an wooden spoon into an eggplant piece and it should cut it like butter.
Now remove it from heat, add in lime juice and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Enjoy it with chapatis or jeera rice :)