Baby Eggplant Curry

Overview
Baby eggplants cooked whole  makes this dish very elegant. The whole baby eggplants are split in four with out going all  the way to the top so that it cooks well and looks very fresh. This eggplant curry goes very well with the Indian breads like Chapati or Naan.

Ingredients
Baby purple eggplants - 10
Tomatoes - 2 large finely chopped
Red Onion - 2 thin sliced length wise
Cilantro - 1/2 cup finely chopped
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons
Salt to taste

To Grind
Garlic - 4 - 6 cloves
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilly powder - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
Whole black peppers - 1/2 teaspoon
Whole coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Steps
1. Wash the eggs plants. keep the tip of the stem on them. They looks good cooked with the stem. Slit the bottom of egg plant length wise into four and don't cut it all the way so that the slices don't split apart.

2. Put the cut eggplants in salt water and keep it soaked in water for about 30  minutes to one hour. This helps reduce the bitterness of the eggplant.

3. Grind all the ingredients to be ground to a smooth paste and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot  add the onion slices to the oil and saute till the onions get brown.

5. Add the ground paste to the brown oil and saute till the oil separates. Add the chopped tomatoes to this mix well, add salt and cook covered till the tomatoes are cooked well and the oil begins to separate.

6. Add the prepared eggplants to this mix well and cook covered for about 25 - 35 minutes till the eggplants are cooked well and the gravy is thick.

7. Add the chopped cilantro and mix well

Serve hot with Chapati or rice.