1.5tsp.oilfor air frying, 2 tbsp. more if pan frying
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Clean, wash and dry the brinjals. Now slit each brinjal twice using perpendicular cuts making sure that brinjal is intact at its stem. Keep the brinjal immersed in salted water to prevent it from turning black.
Dry roast all the ingredients for the dry masala till they are lightly roasted. Takes about 3-4 minutes and powder them in a blender.
Stuff some salt and dry masala inside the split brinjals and keep aside.
For pan frying aubergines
Shallow fry in 2 tbsp. oil till they are semi cooked. Take them out and keep them aside.
For Air frying aubergines
Preheat Air fryer at 180 C or 360 F for 4 minutes. Lay the filled aubergines on the basket and lightly brush with oil.
Air fry for about 12 minutes till brinjals are almost cooked. The time will vary depending upon the size of the aubergines. Try to pick similar sized ones. I could cook my entire batch of ½ Kg. brinjals in one shot.
Wet masala
To prepare the wet masala, fry curry leaves, onion, ginger garlic paste and fresh coconut pieces in a tsp. of oil till lightly browned. Add one tomato and fry till mushy.Now blend in a blender to form a smooth paste.
Take the wet masala paste in a kadhai/wok, add in the dry masala and the fried brinjal, add the tamarind paste and salt and a little water if the paste is very thick.
Simmer it over gentle heat with a cover for about 15-20 minutes till the brinjals are well cooked. This step is reduced to 5 minutes if you air fry the aubergines. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.
Notes
This recipe really calls for the small, round purple or striped aubergines. Get them at an Indian store or farmer's market.
The addition of sesame seeds, poppy seeds and peanuts lends a distinct flavour to this dish.
You can reduce the spice and heat by reducing the red chillies and pepper powder used.
Sometimes I use dry coconut instead of fresh coconut. That works just as well.
It does taste delicious when left for a few hours as all the spices get absorbed by the aubergines.
Let the aubergines be well cooked but not mushy.
Choose aubergines of similar size so that they cook evenly.