Serving: 4 to 6 people | Type:  Gravy/Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Masala:

Seasoning:

Method:

1. In an open pan, heat the oil for the masala. Add all the ingredients for the masala, expect for coconut, into the heated oil.
2. Roast it until golden brown color, then turn of the stove and add the coconut.
3. Allows this to cool down and then place into a mixie and then add the salt. Then grind everything with enough water to make a paste (like chutney).
4. Set this aside.
5. Next silt the bottom of the eggplant in a plus shape. Cut half way into the eggplant.
6. Now stuff the ground masala into the silt of the eggplant and then keep that aside.
7. Next heat a deep pan with oil. Then add all of the seasonings and fry without burning.
8. Then add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent.
9. Then add the tomato, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt and sauté until the tomatoes get smashed.
10. Next add the stuffed eggplant and allow it to get roasted on it sides.
11. Then add the left over masala and followed by the tamarind extract and mix well.
12. Sauté until the oil comes up to the surface of the masala.
13. Now add atleast 1 cup of water and cover the pan with a lid and boil the gravy until the eggplant gets soft.
14. If you want this to be gravy-like, then remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves and serve now.
15. Or if want the consistency to be drier, then remove the lid and allow the gravy to boil for more time; remove it from heat when you have achieved your desired consistency.

Notes:

1. If you prefer to make this without onions, then replace it with shredded cabbage, shredded bottle gourd or shredded yellow pumpkin.
2. If you want, you can add a couple of cloves of garlic while sautéing the onions.
3. You can either leave the stem of the eggplant or remove it. I usually do it both ways.
4. If you don’t like eggplant, this dish can be made with boiled baby potatoes also and it tastes just as good.