Bagara Baingan

Ingredients
Small Fresh Young Brinjals: 8 - 10
Roasted Peanuts: 1 Cup
Roasted Sesame Seeds: 3 tbsp
Roasted Dry Shredded Coconut: 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Onion: 1 Big
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves: 1 tbsp
Sliced Green Chilllies: 2
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp
Tomato Paste: 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves: 1 Spring
Tamarind Paste: 1 tbsp
Jaggery or Sugar: 1-2 tsp
Cumin Powder: 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder: 1tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera): 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing): 1/2 tsp
Cloves: 3-4
Cinnamon Stick: 1 (cut into pieces)
Elaichi: 3
Bay Leaf: 1
Salt to Taste
Water

Procedure
1. Grind peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut with water. Make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and when they start spluttering, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add cloves, bay leaf, cinamon stick, elaichi. Fry for a minute. Then add chopped green chillies, onion and hing. Fry onions till it gets golden brown.
3. Add turmeric powder, ginger - garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala. Fry for a minute. Then add tomato paste and some salt. Add some water and bring it to boil.
4. Then add paste of peanuts, sesame seeds & coconut powder & water. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. In mean time, make slits to eggplant (don't cut end). Shallow fry or deep fry them till they are 80% done.
6. Add these brinjals to gravy. Then add salt, tamarind juice, jaggery. Cook this gravy on medium heat till brinjals are 100 % cooked.
7. Garnish this with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with pulao, biryani or chapati.

This is my entry for Pooja's event of 'Vegetable of the week : Brinjal' Source: VahRehVah