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Baked Small Eggplants With Curried Vegetable Stuffing
(Baingan Ka Tikka)
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| What You Need: |
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4 tablespoons ghee
6 small eggplants, each about 3 or 4 ounces
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon scraped, finely chopped fresh ginger root
¼ cup finely chopped onions
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
½ cup fresh green string beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ pound fresh green peas, shelled (about ½ cup)
1 medium-sized carrot, scraped and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped potato
2 medium-sized tomatoes, washed, cored and coarsely chopped, or substitute 1 cup chopped, drained, canned tomatoes
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
¼ cup besan(chick-pea flour)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/3 cup water
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a pastry brush, spread 1 tablespoon of the ghee over the bottom and sides of a baking dish large enough to hold the 12 eggplant halves in a single layer. Wash the eggplants under cold running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and cut them in half lengthwise.
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2. With a small spoon, scoop the pulp out of each half to make a boatlike shell about ½ inch thick. Sprinkle the shells with 1 teaspoon of the salt and place them upside down on paper towels to drain. Chop the pulp finely and set it aside.
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3. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee over moderate heat until a drop of water flicked into it splutters instantly. Add the garlic, ginger and onions, and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the ground coriander, garam masala, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Then add the chopped eggplant pulp and, lifting and turning the ingredients constantly, fry for 6 to 7 minutes.
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4. Stir in the green beans, peas, carrot, potatoes and tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
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5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the fresh coriander and mint into the vegetable mixture. With paper towels, pat the inside of each eggplant shell dry and spoon the vegetables into it, packing it tightly and smoothing the top level with the edge of the shells.
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6. Make a batter of the besan, cumin, red pepper and water, stirring them together with your fingers or a spoon, and then spread the mixture evenly on the top of each stuffed eggplant. In a heavy 10-to 12-inch skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee and add the eggplants, stuffed sides down, 4 or 5 at a time. Fry for a minute or so, until lightly browned.
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7. As they brown, transfer the eggplant shells to the baking dish with a metal spatula and arrange them browned side up in one layer. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Serve at once, directly from the baking dish or from a large heated platter.
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