Achari Baingan(pickled eggplant curry) with Marwari Red Chili Pickle

Achari Baingan(pickled eggplant curry) made with Marwari Stuffed Red Chili Pickle. This is my mom-in-laws idea. She uses this pickle to make stuffed Okra and stuffed Bittergourd. The pickle, fennel and coriander make a nice masala for the baby eggplants and an amazing recipe.

First picture is the eggplants all arranged and ready to cook for at least 45 minutes. This picture is eggplant all done and ready to hit the serving plate. The masala usually gets all dark brown and has already been licked off this one.

I am not an eggplant fan, esp if it is not cooked well. So this is another one of my go-to eggplant recipes. The eggplant and masala can be just about cooked well or cooked to brown and both taste really good.

I will get the Pickle recipe from my Mom in Law and put it up soon

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon Marwari chili pickle (more or less by taste for spice and pickleyness)
• 5-6 baby indian eggplants
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium pan heat oil at medium low.
2. Add in the onions, fennel, coriander and cumin seeds and cook on medium low till the onions turn golden.
3. Cool the onion mixture a bit and blend with the chili pickle and little water if needed into a nice paste.
4. Make 2 cross slits in the eggplants with the stalk attached.
5. Fill the paste in the slits as much as possible and put the eggplants to cook on the same pan with a little oil.
6. Cover the eggplants with the leftover paste and cook for 10 minutes on low heat covered.
7. Turn the eggplants and add in some water in the pan around the eggplants(not over the eggplants), to keep the masala paste from burning. (my mom in law adds oil :) which does work better for gooey veggies like okra and bittergourd)
8. Cook for 30-40 minutes, turning the eggplants every 10 minutes. We cook the 40-45 minutes until things start to just about char. The masala and eggplants are usually well done around 30 minutes. For a quicker version, cut the eggpants into big chunks and cook with masala and you will be done in 20.
9. Serve hot with rotis, puris or Naan!

Sanjeev Kapoors red chili pickle