Ingredients

• 10-12 - Baby brinjals full ones (not more than 2 inch long).
• 1 bunch - Pudina (mint) leaves
• 1 bunch - Green coriander leaves
• 3 to 5 - Green chillies
• 1/2" - Ginger piece
• 8 -10 - Spring onion bulbs
• 1 - Tomato (medium size)
• 1/2 tsp - coriander (coriander powder)
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp - Red chilli powder
• 8 tbsp - Oil
• Cream / Fresh butter for garnishing.

How to Make Baby Brinjal In Gravy

• Wash the brinjals and remove the stems but don't remove the crown.
• Slit into four (up to half of the brinjal); keep them in water or else they will turn black and bitter.
• Clean the pudina, coriander leaves and keep them aside.
• Cut the spring onion bulbs into four.
• Grind pudina, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and spring onion bulbs to a paste. Half way in, add the tomato and blend. Add no water.
• Add 1/2 tsp salt in the gravy.
• Stuff the brinjal slits with the chutney liberally.
• In a kadai (or a thick bottomed vessel) heat the oil and drop the brinjals slowly one after the other; keep the flame (heat) very low.
• Add the turmeric powder, the chilli powder and the coriander powder one after another.
• If there is chutney still left, add the same.
• Cover the kadai / vessel with a plate and pour cold water on the plate (this will prevent the brinjals and gravy getting stuck to the vessel).
• Keep a tab every five minutes and turn the vegetable and gravy without breaking the brinjals, so that it does not burn.
• Once the brinjals are half done, add salt and cook for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with green coriander leaves, tomato slices and cream / fresh butter and serve with hot plain rice.
• If you are not counting your calories add fresh coconut in the gravy (1 cup) and cashew nuts fried in ghee on top while serving.