Serves: 4
Total Calories: 438

1 tablespoon Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste or store-bought
1 to 1 1/4 pound small Indian eggplant (about 18) or small Japanese eggplants
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon ground pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon mango powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons mustard oil or olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1. Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then cut the eggplants: Starting at the bottom, make a deep cross-cut toward the stem, stopping about 1/4 inch from the stem. Keep the stem intact. (You should be able to pick up each eggplant by the stem.)

2. In a small bowl, mix together the coriander, fennel, cumin, fenugreek, pomegranate seeds, mango powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt. Fill each eggplant with about 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture, making sure that the cut surfaces are covered. Save leftover spices.

3. Heat the oil in a large wok, preferably cast-iron, or a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the eggplants and cook, turning a few times, about 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until the eggplants are almost black and crispy on the outsides and meltingly soft inside, about 1 hour. Add the leftover spice mixture during the last 10 minutes. Mix in the cilantro, transfer to a serving dish, and serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 438
Calories from Fat: 165

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Vegetables of the Side
Asparagus with Purple Potatoes
Baby Yellow Patty Pan Squash with Chopped Tomatoes
Baked Bitter Melon with Baby Red Potatoes
Banana Squash with Spicy Lentil Nuggets
Bengali Hot Potatoes with Dry-Roasted Spices
Bitter Melon Rounds with Coconut
Bitter Melon Skins with Onions and Potatoes
Bitter Melon Stuffed with Mashed Potatoes
Braised Beet Greens
Butternut Squash with Fenugreek Seeds
Carrots with Fresh Spinach Ribbons
Cauliflower Stems with Pomegranate Seeds
Cauliflower with Minced Ginger-Lime Pickle
Cauliflower with Potato Wedges and Peas
Chayote Squash, Indian-Style
Chopped Okra with Onions
Chopped Spinach with Red Potatoes
Chopped Turnips with Apples and Green Tomatoes
Cooked Brussels Sprouts with Ginger and Garlic
Cooked Spinach with Sliced Almonds
Creamy Mashed Eggplant with Peas
Crispy Baked Okra Bits
Crispy Fork-Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Peanuts
Crispy Taro Root Fingers with Ajwain Seeds
Cumin Potatoes
Dry-Cooked Carrots, Peas and Potatoes
Easy Mashed Spicy Eggplant and Potatoes
Egg-Fried Okra Fingers
Eggplant with Red Potatoes
Fire-Roasted Corn-on-the-Cob
Fragrant Baby Turnip Halves
Fragrant Spiced Corn
Fried Cauliflower Florets with Red Chili Flakes
Ginger Mashed Potatoes with Yogurt
Ginger-Baked Taro Roots with Chaat Masala
Grated Turnips with Turmeric
Green Cabbage with Yellow Mung Beans
Green Mangoes in Coconut Milk
Grilled Mashed Zucchini with Onions and Tomatoes
Grilled Yogurt-Marinated Cauliflower
Haridwar Pumpkin Purée with Dried Pomegranate Seeds
Indian Eggplant with Garlic and Tamarind
Kashmiri Kohlrabi
Kerala Coconut Eggplant
Kerala Okra with Sizzling Coconut Oil
Lowfat Stir-Fried Chinese Eggplant with Sesame Seeds
Manju's Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Marinated Mixed Vegetables in Tomato Butter-Cream Sauce
Mashed Eggplant with Mustard Seeds
Mashed Fire-Roasted Eggplant
Mashed Potatoes with Peas and Sesame Seed Powder
Mixed Bell Peppers with Peas
Mixed Cauliflower, Carrots, and Green Beans in a Wok
Mixed Green and Yellow Beans with Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
Mixed Pumpkin, Squash and Eggplant with Bengali 5-Spices
Mixed Summer Squashed with Fresh Ginger
North Indian-Style Mixed Cauliflower, Carrots, and Green Beans
Okra with Potatoes and Pear Tomatoes
Oven-Roasted Bell Peppers, Indian Style
Pan-Grilled Asparagus Tips
Petite Peas and Potatoes
Pomegranate Potatoes
Potato-Stuffed Oval Eggplant
Potatoes with Bell Pepper Confetti
Punjabi Kohlrabi
Quick Garlic and Chili Pepper Eggplant
Quick Japanese or Chinese Eggplant with Cilantro
Quick Pan-Cooked Lotus Roots
Quick Pumpkin and Carrot Purée
Quick Spicy Opo Squash
Rajasthani Batter-Fried Okra
Rajasthani Potatoes with Cashews and Raisins
Roasted Baby Zucchini Rounds
Roasted Eggplant with Mustard Oil
Russet Potatoes with Fresh Fenugreek Greens
Simple Pan-Cooked Cauliflower
Simple Pan-Cooked Gherkins
Smoked Sugar-Snap Peas
South Indian-Style Mixed Vegetables
Spice-Stuffed Baby Zucchini
Spice-Stuffed Indian Eggplant
Spicy Broiled Whole Okra
Spicy Cauliflower Stems
Spicy Chopped Carrots with Fresh Coconut
Spicy Chopped Tomatoes
Spicy Garlic-Flavored Patty Pan Squash
Spicy Green Peas with Onion and Ginger
Spicy Green Plantains
Spicy Mashed Fresh Peaches
Spicy Mushrooms and Bell Peppers
Spicy Potato Balls
Spicy Potatoes with Onions and Tomatoes
Spicy Pumpkin Purée
Spicy Smashed Potatoes with Chaat Masala
Spicy South Indian Potatoes
Spicy Star Fruit
Spicy Yard-Long Beans
Stir-Fried Cabbage with Spinach and Red Potatoes
Stuffed Indian Round Squash with Spicy Onion and Tomatoes
Stuffed Whole Okra with Spices
Sweet and Sour Eggplant with Jaggery
Sweet and Sour Ripe Bananas
Tangy Asparagus with Onions and Tomatoes
Tangy Lotus Roots
Tangy Sweet Potatoes
Taro Root Rounds with Tomatoes
Tart Apples with Cooked Onions
Tart Apples with Cumin Seeds
Watermelon Whites with Ginger
Whole Okra with Tomato Sauce
Zesty Everyday Green Beans
Zucchini with Coconut Milk