Last few days I have really been missing home and the food my mom used to make. It all started with the Akhkha Masoor post; but it didn’t stop there. I then started missing the signature western Maharashtrian Dish – Stuffed Eggplant. Sangli – the small town in western Maharashtra where I was raised is famous for the most delicious eggplants. I kid you not whenever people from metros like Pune or Mumbai visit Sangli they take back pounds and pounds of eggplant home. I wish my mom can just carry those from India. Those eggplants are tender, sweet and cook in minutes. No wonder the Bharali Wangi or Stuffed Eggplants are one of the famous dishes in Western Maharashtra. 

This is my mom’s recipe made in almost no oil but tastes the best. It also uses the Kolhapuri Masala I talked about in Akhkha Masoor recipe. –

This is what you would need.

Tender eggplants 5-6

1 large Onion finely diced.

1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder

1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 cup freshly Grated Coconut

Pinch of Asafetida

2-3 Teaspoons of Tamarind Pulp

2 Teaspoons of grated Jaggery 

2 Teaspoons of Goda Masala

2 Teaspoons of Kolhapuri Masala

1/4 cup Crushed Roasted Peanuts

1/2 cup freshly chopped Coriander Leaves

5-6 Curry Leaves

2 Teaspoons of oil

This is how we do it

Wash and slit the eggplants in 4 parts. Do not cut all the way through. Soak it in the water for about 10 minutes. 

Mix everything else together and mash it with hands ( Yes. That’s important).  

Stuff the eggplants with this mixture and keep aside for 5 minutes.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot add Asafetida. Add the eggplants and cover the pan for 3-4 minutes. This will help the eggplants get cooked a bit.

Add the remaining stuffing on the eggplants, add some water if you want a little gravy. Cover and cook till the eggplants cook. If you have nice and tender eggplants it takes hardly 5-10 minutes to cook them.

Enjoy with hot roti,rice or Bhakari with some slices of Red Onion.