Stuffed Eggplant Fry / Kathirikkai Poriyal

When I was young, I wont eat eggplant that much. But whenever my grandma made this stuffed eggplant fry, I would be the first one to finish it . This eggplant fry is a tasty side for sambar, rasam. ..

Preparation time : 40 minutes
No of servings : 2
Spice level : 4

Ingredients:

• Small Eggplant / Brinjal – 8
• Coriander seeds – 1 1/2 tbsp
• Bengal gram / Channa dal – 2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
• Coconut – 3 tbsp
• Red Chillies- 4 to 5 (according to spice level)
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 3tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – a few
• Asafoetida – a pinch

Method of Preparation:

1. Take very little oil in a pan and fry cumin seeds, followed by red chillies, bengal gram, urad dal, coriander seeds and coconut.
2. Add the salt and grind them to powder.
3. Cut the tip of the brinjals and split them into four parts almost till the end leaving the bottom part of the brinjal.
4. Stuff the masala powder in the brinjal.
5. Heat little oil in a wide pan add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
6. Then put the brinjals one by one in the pan and cover it with a lid for 5 minutes in  low flame.
7. Repeat the procedure for all the four sides of the brinjal.
8. Finally keep the brinjals in  vertical position. Cover and cook them for 5 minutes in  low flame.
9. When turning each side, add very little oil to each brinjal.
10. Remove the lid and check if the brinjals have become completely soft.
11. Serve hot with sambar rice or rasam rice.