Egg plant Aubergine Curry (stuffed)

Eggplant which is also known as brinjal or aubergine is an exotic vegetable
It is called Vankaya in Andhra Pradesh, Katharikai in Tamil Nadu, Badanekayi in Karnataka and Baingan in the northern parts of India
Most people either love the vegetable or loathe it. This is one of my favourite vegetables and is very popular in Italian cuisine as well

Eggplants comes in different sizes – large, medium or small.
Dark Purple, Pale Green and White are generally smooth and plain. The light violet version is plain or with light stripes.

This particular dish is generally prepared generally with the small dark purple or small light green eggplant 

Ingredients to serve 4-6

15-20 Small Egg Plant

For the Filling

2 Tbs Coriander Powder
2-3 Tbs Sambhar Powder
½ Tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 Tsp Salt
A Pinch of Asafoetida

For Shallow Frying

5 Tbs. Oil
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds

Preparation

Mix the dry ingredients for the filling in a bowl and keep aside

Remove the cap of the eggplant and slice through each one from the top to nearly the bottom, ensuring that the egpplant is not fully sliced.
Generally about 3-4 slits are made depending on the size of the eggplant.
Microwave the slit eggplant with two tablespoons of water for 5-6 minutes
When cooled, take the individual eggplant and gently spoon in the filling and set aside

Heat oil in a deep based pan
Place the eggplants with the filling one by one
Gently toss the eggplant so it fries on all sides until done

The stuffed eggplant is ready to be served

Note: Freshly ground powder may be prepared for the filling.
Dry coriander seeds, channa dal and red chillies can be dry roasted and powdered instead of the ready made coriander and sambhar powder
The freshly ground powder can be stored in an air tight container for future use