Ennai Kathirikkai | Oiled Baby Eggplant

Ennai Kathirikkai | Oiled Baby Eggplant

Would you believe if I said I do not like eggplants that much. But then, I do love, LOVE it when I make it this way. I looked at the last post I made on the blog and realised it has become too long since I posted anything. So here I go. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 inch sized eggplants about 16 to 20
• Turmeric powder – 2 tsp
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil to stir fry

• To Make the Rub
• Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
• Channa dhal – 2 tbsp
• Dried red chillies – 12
• Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Putting it Together

• Take the eggplants, and score a plus from the bottom to the top. Do not split it completely. It should be held by the stem. You should have little four petal flower eggplants
• Take a big microwave bowl with a flat bottom(so you can arrange in on row). In it combine 4 tbsp oil, salt and turmeric powder. Now you need to really get down and dirty.  Rub the oil paste (it is more like flavoured oil) in to the insides of the eggplant. You need to be careful not to split it wide open, but at the same time, get all the salt down in to the eggplant (this is all the salt the eggplant is going to get)
• Microwave high for 6 mins. Take it out and check if the eggplants have cooked. The insides should feel soft and not raw. If not, keep it in for another 6 min (or 2 to 3 ). The bowl will be watery from the juices released by the eggplant, don’t worry, we will use it all.
• Dry roast (or with a dab of oil) all the ingredients and grind them
• Remove all the eggplants, gently from the bowl. In the same bowl, add the rub to the reminder of the oil left in the bowl from cooking.
• Take each eggplant and stuff the rub in to it gently
• In a flat bottomed skillet, add oil to coat the entire skilet. Lower the eggplant by its stem in to the skillet. Add the reminder of the rub(if there is more, save it in a tight container) if any, in to the pan on top of the eggplant
• Now it’s a wait and watch game. Every 20 seconds, turn the eggplan by holding the stem (or gently with tongs) until all sides of an eggplant are crisped. Do not use a spoon to mix them, or else they would get mushy.
• Before you remove from fire add curry leaves to the skillet and leave them just enough to get them crispy