Small Brinjal Curry

18 -20 small brinjals with stems 50ml olive oil ¼ tsp mustard seeds 1 tbs ghee (clarified butter) 1 tsp salt 1 cup water (add more or less, as desired) 1 tsp brown sugar 6-8 green chillies, slit in half Handful chopped coriander

Grind together to form wet masala: 2 medium red onions or 2 cups diced shallots 1 large ripe tomato 4 sprigs fresh tender curry leaves 2 cloves garlic 1 - 2cm piece ginger 4 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp sambhar powder

Lightly scrape the stems of the brinjals and at the bottom slit them halfway, criss-cross, while still keeping them intact. Rinse and soak in salted water for 5 minutes. Stuff ground masala in brinjal – keep excess masala aside. Heat oil in a medium-sized pot. Add mustard seeds, and once they pop, gently toss in the brinjals. Cover with lid immediately, turning down the heat. Give it a good swirl and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add balance of masala and salt – give it another stir. Cook on medium heat with the lid on, occasionally stirring to make sure it does not burn. Cook for 10 minutes. Pour in water, add chilli and cook until brinjals are tender and oil floats. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes. (Cooking time depends on the size of brinjals.) Spoon in ghee at the very end. Serve with steaming hot white rice and vegetable pickle.

Hint: Try to keep all the brinjals the same size. This will ensure they all cook evenly at the same time.