Baghare Baingan -- Teeny-Tiny Stuffed Eggplants

Baghare Baingan, also known as 'Ennai Kathirikaai' or 'Gutti Vankaya'  is one of my hubby's favorite dish and obviously mine.He grew up eating this quite frequently. I curried favors with my MIL, who is telugu, to get the secret recipe. She is quite forthcoming but I feel hesitant to ask recipes for just about every dish she makes. She is a real queen of her kitchen.Some folks are born with that kind of talent and she is one the fortunate few. I modified the original recipe a bit and ended up with this extremely pleasing,delectable bit of deliciousness. Eat this as an appetizer or as a side to Rice/Roti/Bread.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants - 14 #s, small, quartered without dislodging and with crown intact 
• Red Onions - 3, medium, chopped
• Red Chilli - 2
• Green Chilli - 2
• Curry Leaves - 4 Stalks
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/8 tsp
• Sesame Seeds - 4 tbsp, toasted
• Peanuts - 5 tbsp, toasted and dehulled
• Dessicated Coconut - 3 tbsp
• Tamarind - Marble-sized
• Salt for taste
• Olive oil - 5 tbsp

Procedure:

• In a thick-bottomed skillet, heat a tbsp of oil and fry the onions, red chilli, green chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves.
• In a blender, grind the toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds to a fine powder.
• Add all the other ingredients including salt to the jar and grind to a coarse thick paste with water.
• Stuff the eggplants generously with this mixture.
• Add the remaning 4 tbsp of oil to the pan and drop the stuffed eggplants.
• Cook on a low flame with sprinkling little water now and then and lid closed.Resist the urge to keep turning the eggplants.
• Continue cooking until the eggplants are soft and the gravy is thickened to the point of getting dry.
• Serve hot by itself or as a side to rice/roti/bread.

Tip: Reserve 1 or 2 chillies while grinding the paste. Check for taste and add more if necessary.

Also sending the following recipes to  "Served with Love" event:

• Sugar Plum Balls Minus the Sugar
• Barley Pilaf
• Orange Marmalade N Teriyaki Chicken
• Turkey Bean Balls N Tennis Racquets

Enjoy!