Bharli Vangi / Stuffed eggplant - Repost

I am on this big project of remaking the first 50 dishes that I made when I started this blog. I managed to lose all the pictures that I uploaded directly in blogger. Took this as an opportunity to try out those recipes again.
Though I never accepted it, my family always accused me of cooking for the blog, (they are the ones who eat it, right ?), but I realised there are so many recipes that I perhaps tried just once for the blog and never made it again. Thanks to this project, I made these amazingly good ginger potatoes after a really long time.



This stuffed eggplant / bharli vangi is another one of those recipes. We really enjoy this, but it hasn't been made as often as I would have liked. I did not have the round small brinjals the first time I posted it. I have used the earlier recipe from here, but made slight modifications. Also incorporated some tips from my Maharashtrian friend here. She told me they allow the brinjals to cook, by covering the pan with a lid and sprinkling some water on it, so that the brinjals don't stick to the bottom of the pan and get burnt.



Traditionally, the stuffing is used in the brinjals and then the rest is sprinkled over it and allowed to cook. My aunt suggested that grinding the remaining ingredients and adding it, gives better texture and also adds volume, when you need it to serve it to a larger group of people.

Bharli Vangi / Maharashtrian style stuffed eggplant

What you need -

1/2 kg brinjals / eggplant (small round purple / green ones)
1/2 cup grated kopra (dry coconut)
2 onions
3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 tsp goda masala / garam masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (if required)
2 tsp jaggery
1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped 
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
salt to taste

What you do with it -

Wash the brinjals and wipe them dry. Make slits in the shape of a 'X' on the round side of the brinjal, taking care that the brinjal doesn't come apart. the slits should be about half way thru the brinjal
Coarsely powder the roasted peanuts and place in a bowl
Finely chop the onions. Add the grated kopra and the onions to the peanuts
Add the garam masala or goda masala and jaggery
If you'd like more heat, add the chilli powder
Add salt and the chopped coriander leaves
Mix well and stuff this into the brinjals, taking care not to break them
In a shallow pan, heat a tbsp of oil and place these brinjals stuffed side down
Cover with a lid and sprinkle some water on the lid, so that the brinjals don't burn below
Heat oil in another pan and add cloves and cinnamon
Add the remaining mixture prepared for the stuffing. Fry for a couple of minutes till the onions brown a bit. Grind to a coarse paste
Add this paste along with 1/2 cup water, back to the pan of brinjals
Once the brinjals are cooked, take it off the heat
Serve hot with bhakris / rotis