Bagara Baingan - Brinjal Masala

Serves 3
This is a very delicious Hyderabadi dish,one of the very first dishes that I learned to prepare.It needs a little extra effort with all the grinding and frying involved,but the taste is worth it.Tastes great when prepared with small round brinjals.I couldn't find the small brinjals so used long ones instead.This goes real well with pulaos.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 big(finely chopped)
oil - 1 - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinammon - a small stick
Mustard seeds  - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Whole Red chilli - 1
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp( can add more,depending on how you like it)
Green Chilli - 1
Tamarind - small marble sized
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Brinjal - 6-7 small ones or 4 long ones
oil - for deep frying
Roast and grind in a tsp of oil :
Peanuts(without skin)- 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds(white) - 2 tbsp
Desiccated coconut or grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
-In a pan add a tsp of oil and roast the peanuts,sesame seeds and coconut one after the other separately.
Cool and grind together with 1/4 cup water to a slightly coarse paste
-Soak the Tamarind in 1/2 a cup of water and extract the juice
-To a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and splutter the cumin ,fenugreek and mustard seeds.Add the cloves,cinnamon and cardamom.After a minute add the whole red chilli. Once the spices are slightly browned add the onions and 1 tsp of salt.Saute for 2 minutes.Then add the turmeric powder and curry leaves and saute until the onions are slightly browned, around 4-5 minutes in medium heat.
-Add the Green Chilli(slit) and Ginger Garlic paste ( 4-5 cloves of garlic & ginger - 1/2 " piece) and saute until well browned. Now reduce the heat and add the cumin ,coriander and chilli powder and saute for 3-4 minutes.
-Add the ground peanut paste and saute on low heat until the oil separates from the mixture.
-Add the tamrind juice,one cup of water(can add more or less,depending upon the consistency that you desire) and the jaggery and let it simmer for 10 - 12 minutes.
-If using round brinjals,slit them(but not fully such that you can still lift it by the stem ) and deep fry them in oil along with the stem.For long ones chop them into long pieces and deep fry them in oil.Alternatively you can also shallow fry them.
-Add the fried brinjal to the the gravy and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Sending this to Foodabulous Fest Event organised by Simply TADKA