Ennai kathrika - Spicy Eggplant

Ingredients:
Baby eggplants/Brinjals - 8
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Tamarind: lemon sized
Curry leaves: a sprig
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Water: 1 cup


For masala
Urad dhal: 2 tablespoons
Coriander seed/Dhaniya: 2 tablespoons
Chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida/hing: a pinch


Procedure:
Step1:
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water.


Step2:
Dry roast the ingredients for masala and grind it to a coarse powder


Step3:
Wash the brinjals and slit them into four. Do not cut the bottom part


Step4:
Stuff the masala powder in the center of each slitted brinjal.Save 1 or 2 tsp for the gravy

Step5:
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add curry leaves.


Step6:
Now add the stuffed brinjals and close the pan and cook in medium heat. Stir it once every 5 minutes.

Step7:
Once the brinjals are cooked, add the tamarind extract and add the remaining masala, salt and hing and bring it a boil

Step8:
Cook for 5 more minutes