Masala Stuffed Eggplants
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp chickpea flour
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut flakes
- ½ tsp honey
- 1 small green chili minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bunch coriander chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
- Kosher salt to taste
- 4 eggplants medium
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 dried red chili peppers
- 8-10 curry leaves
Directions
- In a large bowl, add coriander, cumin, chickpea flour, red chili powder, garam masala, roasted peanuts, coconut flakes, honey, green chili, ginger, garlic, coriander, coconut oil, and kosher salt. Use you hands to combine. Season with salt to taste. Don't be afraid to make it a little salty, as the eggplant will absorb a lot.
- Cut a slit in the eggplants down the middle, but don't slice all the way through. Sprinkle and rub with a generous amount of salt. Stuff the eggplants with as much of the masala as will fit. Reserve the remaining bit to sprinkle on top at the end.
- In a dutch oven, add about 2 inches of water. Place a steamer basket inside and then place the eggplants on the steamer basket. Cover the pot and steam until the eggplants are completely soft, 20 to 22 minutes. (If you have a steamer, you can use that.)
- Once soft, remove the eggplants from the pot and discard the water. Wipe the pot clean. Then, set the pot over medium-high heat and warm the coconut oil. Once hot, add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggplants and any remaining masala, and carefully cook to get a little charring on the sides.
- Remove from the heat, drizzle with whatever's left in the pan, and serve.
Notes
Spicy, nutty and a touch smokey, this eggplant recipe has been perfected over generations. Like most Indian recipes, it requires a lot of ingredients. It's also a two-part cooking process. But don't let that intimidate you! It's actually very simple and creates little mess, as you're making the masala in a bowl and then stuffing the eggplants. One cooking note: Make the masala saltier than you'd like it. The eggplant absorbs everything, so it needs a good amount of salt to make it shine.