Baingan Masala (Stuffed Baby Eggplants in a Spicy Gravy )

Baingan Masala is a popular recipe from Northern India. It is  made with baby eggplants or brinjals. There are many versions of this recipe and the eggplants are usually made with a stuffing of the spices. As tender baby eggplants are used, often they break while cooking so a tried and easy method is to bake the eggplants to perfection after it is sautéed in the masala gravy
Servings: 6 yield(s)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Ingredients
  • 15 small round eggplants
    • For Masala or Spice Paste
  • 2 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 2 tsp. coriander pd.
  • 1 tsp. cumin pd.
  • 1/4 tsp. garam masala
  • 2 green chillies
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp. chopped ginger
  • a little salt to taste
    • For the Masala Gravy:
  • 1 large tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. dried fenugreek
  • 2 cups water (about 500 ml. )
Instructions
  1. Rinse eggplants and then make two vertical cuts on the tops of each eggplant. Immerse them in salt water to avoid discolouration.
  2. Roast peanuts on a small frying pan, then add rest of the masala ingredients and sauté for a couple of minutes on low heat making sure not to burn the spices. Cool and then grind paste with a little water.
  3. Stuff eggplants with 3/4th of the ground masala paste, reserving the rest to make the gravy.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  5. Heat an oven safe cooking pan with oil. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds crack, add the rest of the masala paste along with finely chopped tomatoes.
  6. Cook until the tomatoes turn a little mushy and then place the stuffed eggplants in the pan without overlapping. Let it cook for 2 minutes, then gently turn each eggplant and cook for another two minutes until the eggplants are a little brown on the edges.
  7. Now add in two cups of water and let it simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add in dried fenugreek. Switch off heat.
  8. Cover the pan with foil and transfer to pan to the oven. Bake about 30 to 40 minutes until the eggplants are fork tender.
  9. Transfer onto a serving platter and garnish with finely chopped cilantro. We like this with dish with Indian breads like roti or paratha but goes equally well with rice dishes too.