Havejia, Stuffed Eggplant & Potato Curry
A flavorful sidedish with baby eggplants.
Ingredients
Masala Stuffing Mix:
- ¼ cup tomatoes finely diced ~half tomato
- 2 Tbsp. fenugreek leaves fresh or dried
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1.5 tsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. coriander powder freshly ground if possible
- 1 Tbsp. cumin powder freshly ground if possible
- 1.5 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 Tbsp. of freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
- 1 Tbsp. garlic paste minced garlic works too
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- 2 Tbsp. gram flour chickpea flour
- 2 Tbsp. crushed peanuts *optional
Sauté Mix:
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup tomato ketchup or tomato paste 4 Tbsp.
- ¼ tsp. asafetida white bottle in Indian stores
- 1 cup water 1.5 cups for a more liquid curry sauce
- 8 baby eggplants
- 10-12 small potatoes a little bigger than baby potatoes
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- ¼ cup cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all masala stuffing mix ingredients and mash together till fully incorporated. (Mixture will be chunky and loose). Set aside.
- Clean and peel potatoes. Soak in water to avoid discoloration.
- Clean eggplants and remove the leaves and thin part of the stem.
- Once cleaned, cut the eggplants and potatoes by making a crosscut ¾ down the middle, keeping the whole vegetables intact. (You should be able to open the veggies and see them in fourths till the middle.
- Stuff each eggplant and potato with the masala mix. Stuff them gently to avoid the vegetables breaking into half. Set Aside.
- In a large pan or pot, add oil and heat on medium. Once oil is hot, add asafetida, onions, and ketchup. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Gently add potatoes and eggplants into the pot and allow to sauté in the onion mixture for about 1 minute.
- Cover pan/pot and allow to cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat (stir in between)
- Open pot and add 1 cup water. Cover and allow to cook for about 20-25 minutes or until everything is fork tender.
- When the potatoes are cooked and eggplant is tender, remove from heat. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with extra cilantro.
- Serve hot with desired Indian bread, rice, and plain yogurt on side.
Notes
**NOTE:
1. You can use medium-sized potatoes and larger eggplants for this recipe, but try not to get them too big, as they will need to be stuffed with the masala mix prior to cooking.
2. You can use large chunks of potatoes and eggplants with this recipe if you do not wish to stuff them. Simply sauté all ingredients and masala stuffing mix together in oil, add veggies, water, and allow to cook till fork tender.
3. Add more chili powder and salt as per desired taste.
1. You can use medium-sized potatoes and larger eggplants for this recipe, but try not to get them too big, as they will need to be stuffed with the masala mix prior to cooking.
2. You can use large chunks of potatoes and eggplants with this recipe if you do not wish to stuff them. Simply sauté all ingredients and masala stuffing mix together in oil, add veggies, water, and allow to cook till fork tender.
3. Add more chili powder and salt as per desired taste.