GastronomicGallivant: Maharashtrian "Sugar N Spice" Stuffed Eggplants With Gold Potatoes

Even if one isn't familiar with Maharashtra, I am sure they would be with its capital Mumbai, the bustling cosmopolitan city in India. This dish has origins from that area. What is so different about this dish? It uses brown sugar as one of the main ingredient. If you are a fan of dishes that are sweet and savory then this is your cup of tea..ahem, your plate of chow. Addicted to stuffed eggplants like me? For varities and other vairations, check here, here and here.
This dish tastes heavenly when served with Ghee Rice, Grapefruit rice, lime rice, Roti or Plain Rice.This along with Eggplants In Kadai Gravy go to "Cooking for Coriander Seeds" held @ Food for 7 stages of life, brainchild of Priya of Priya's Easy N tasty.

Ingredients:

• Green Striped Baby Eggplants -  8#s, cleaned, quartered with crown intact
• Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes - 8#s, halved with skin-on
• Yellow Onion - 2, medium, roughly chopped
• Grated Coconut - 2/3 cup
• Cashews - 4 tbsp
• Peppercorns - 1 tsp
• Brown Sugar - 1 tbsp (Reduce this to 1 tsp for a spicier side dish)
• Dried red chilli - 2
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - marble-sized, soaked in warm water
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Ginger - 1/4 inch
• Coriander Seeds - 2 tbsp
• Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
• Olive oil - 5 tbsp
• Salt for taste

Procedure:

• In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of oil, add garlic, onions, red chilli, peppercorns, turmeric powder and ginger.
• Saute until the onion is browned.Add the Cashews, grated coconut and saute further till the cashews are browned.
• Cool the mixture.
• In the same skillet, add a tbsp of oil and brown the halved potatoes until the are browned slightly.Set aside.
• To a blender add the cooled mixture and mix in the brown sugar, tamarind and a little salt. Grind to a fine paste with very little water. 
• Imp: Check for taste. Add more cracked pepper or salt IF needed.

• Stuff the eggplants with the ground mixture. Roll the potatoes in some of the mixture and transfer the vegetable to the skillet. 
• Pour the remaining mixture over the veggie and add a little water.

• Cook the vegetables on a medium flame until the mixture thickens to a gravy and the eggplants are cooked.
• Serve with Ghee Rice, Grapefruit rice, lime rice, Roti or Plain Rice.

Enjoy!