Subz Bharar Baingan Aur Rassedar Tamatar Aur Saeb Ka Kut. Jeera Channa Palav (Stuffed Aubergines with Pulao and Tomato gravy)

This recipe comes from Cyrus Todiwala, Chef Patron at Cafe Spice Namaste and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen.

You can check out his restaurant  or his range of  products.

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SUBZ BHARA BAINGAN AUR RASSEDAR

TAMATAR AUR SAEB KA KUT.

JEERA CHANNA PALAV

– Stuffed Aubergine with diced apple, Tomato, apple, walnut and cumin pulao

This is a combination of three recipes. Although I would recommend that they be eaten together just for the sheer pleasure of it all, there is nothing to say that you should not use them independently or as individual recipes too. Each one is a complete dish in itself.

Ingredients for the stuffed aubergine

• AUBERGINE – Two medium sized
• ONIONS – 1 small, finely chopped
• GARLIC CLOVES – Three to four minced
• GINGER – One 1″ piece, minced
• GREEN CHILLI –  One large, minced
• POTATO – 1 small, diced
• BUTTON MUSHROOMS – 3-4, chopped
• GREEN PEAS – 1 heaped tablespoon
• TURMERIC POWDER – 1/4 teaspoon
• OIL – 1-2 tablespoons, as well as oil for deep frying
• CORIANDER SEEDS – 1 teaspoon.
• PEPPERCORNS – 5-6
• FENUGREEK SEEDS – 5-6
• CUMIN – 1/2 teaspoon
• CARDAMOM PODS – 1 or 2
• FRESH CORIANDER – 1 tablespoon, chopped
• SALT – to taste

Method

1. Slit the aubergine in half, lengthways, and fry, flesh down, until deep brown.  Drain well on paper towel, flesh down.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the green chilli, garlic and ginger until the garlic is golden but not brown.  Add the onions and sauté slowly, stirring from time to time.
3. Meanwhile gently roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, fenugreek and cardamom pods and crush them to a coarse powder in a pestle and mortar or a small grinder.
4. Once the onions have turned pale brown add the diced potato and cook covered on a slow flame, if necessary add a little water to allow the potato to cook.
5. Meanwhile scoop out the flesh of the aubergine and chop it roughly, retain the skins for stuffing later.
6. Add the aubergine to the pan, check the diced potato and add the green peas once the potato is almost done.
7. Sprinkle the powder and cook covered for a minute or two.  Add the chopped coriander, check seasoning and remove from heat.
8. Stuff the skins when ready to serve, so that you can use reheated stuffing.

You can if you like sprinkle some cheese blended with a little freshly chopped (minced) green chilli and garlic on top and bake the stuffed aubergine shell in the oven under a griller *.

(*) – This dish will contain the DAIRY ALLERGEN if cheese is used

Allergens in this dish indicated by the Box (es) Marked ‘x’

Ingredients for the Tomato Gravy

• TOMATO – 4-6 Medium, peeled and diced finely or a 450grm can of the pulp
• CURRY LEAVES – 6-8
• MUSTARD SEEDS – 1/2 pinch
• CRUSHED RED CHILLI –  1/2 teaspoon
• ASAFOETIDA – a nice pinch (if you don’t have it skip it)
• APPLE – 1/2 diced, preferable green and firm
• OIL – 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Blanch, peel the tomato and puree them to a smooth paste or use a can as mentioned above.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan until almost hazy and add the mustard seeds.
3. When crackling stops add the curry leaves, lower the flame immediately and add the crushed chilli and the asafoetida.
4. Almost immediately add the apple dices and then the tomato. Cover the pan to allow the juices not to dry out too soon.
5. Cook for a few minutes to thicken slightly check the seasoning and turn off the heat.

Allergens in this dish indicated by the Box (es) Marked ‘x’

Ingredients for the Pulao

• BASMATI RICE – 300 to 350 grams
• CUMIN SEEDS- 1 level teaspoon
• BOILED CHICKPEAS – 1/2 a tin
• ONION –  1 medium, thinly sliced
• OIL – 1 1/2 tablespoons
• WATER – 600 or 700 ml, double the quantity of rice so either amount

Pre-heat the oven to between 130 and 140 Celsius (Gas mark 1) as soon as you start to make the rice.

You will also need your saucepan or casserole dish to have a secure lid and suitable for use in an oven.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan roughly 8″ diameter and add the cumin.  Do not allow the cumin to get dark or burnt so keep the heat to a medium.
2. As soon as the cumin changes colour, add the sliced onion and sauté until they are soft and beginning to turn golden.
3. Ass the drained chickpeas and sauté for a minute or so, add the rice and sauté for a further minute stirring regularly.
4. Pour over the water, cover the pan and bring the temperature to a simmer.
5. Stir regularly for about three to four minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom, check the water content and as soon as you see the water nearly absorbed cover the pot and place it in your warm oven on the middle shelf.  Make sure the sides of your pot is clean of any stuck rice grains or onion.
6. The rice will take roughly 20-25 minutes to cook.  Turn off the oven and leave the rice inside for some time if not needed just yet.
7. Loosen the rice with a fork or a roasting fork and serve when you are ready.

Allergens in this dish indicated by the Box (es) Marked ‘x’

To Plate and Present

• Heat the stuffing and fill it in the skins.  Do not press it in.  Sprinkle some of the powder on top if you have some saved and some chopped coriander.
• Fill the mould with rice and turn it upside down onto the platter you are going to use.  Do not remove the mould yet.
• Heat the sauce and pour it around the mould from the centre of the plate.
• Place the aubergine halves neatly on either side of the plate but over the sauce.
• Garnish as you see fit to do so.  Remove the mould and serve.

You will need to cut the aubergine when serving to your guests or let them do it when sharing. 

For the mould you can use a glass Pyrex mould that will take all the rice or any other such as a pudding basin.  If baking the aubergine again, after filling, keep everything but do not dish out until the aubergine is ready.