Ingredients:
12 small potatoes
8 baby aubergines
For the stuffing:
15 ml sesame seeds
30 ml ground coriander
30 ml ground cumin
2.5 ml tsp salt
1.5 ml tsp chilli powder
2.5 ml tsp ground turmeric
10 ml tsp sugar
1.5 ml tsp garam masala
15 ml gram flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
15 ml lemon juice
30 ml chopped fresh coriander
For the sauce:
15 ml oil
2.5 ml black mustard seeds
400 gm chopped tomatoes
30 ml chopped, fresh coriander
150 ml cup water

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degree C/ 400 degree F/ Gas 6. Make slits in the potatoes and aubergines, ensuring that you do not cut right through.
Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing together on a plate.
Carefully spoon the spicy stuffing mixture into each of the slits in the potatoes and aubergines.
Arrange the stuffed potatoes and aubergines in a greased ovenproof dish, filling side up.
For the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the mustard seeds for 2 minutes until they begin to splutter, then add the tomatoes, chopped coriander and any leftover stuffing together with the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes and aubergines. Cover and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes and aubergines are soft.
Cook�s tip:
Make sure that the potatoes are all about the same size and the baby aubergines are a similar size, so that they all cook evenly.

Ingredients:
500 gm aubergines
4 onions, each cut into 4-6 pieces
1 small piece of ginger; � pod of garlic
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tbsps sesame seeds
� cup peanuts
1 tsp poppy seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds
1-1/2 tsp poppy seeds,
50 gm dried coconut
� tsp fenugreek seeds
� tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp jaggery or sugar
75 gm tamarind
A few curry leaves
1 cup oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak tamarind in about one cup of warm water. Mash and sieve to get tamarind water. Discard the residue. Set aside. Wash brinjals. Make 2� slits along the length of the aubergine ensuring that it is held together at the stem.
Roast the onions on a girdle, till they soften a little and turn slightly golden brown. Then dry roast together over medium heat the coriander seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried coconut and fenugreek seeds till their shade darkens very slightly and the aroma starts emitting.
Grind together the onions, roasted spices, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and jaggery/sugar into a very fine paste. Mix with tamarind water. Stuff the brinjals with the ground spices, setting aside some of the mixture.
Heat oil. Add the curry leaves and after a few seconds, add the stuffed brinjals. Fry for about 10 minutes and then add the reserved ground spices. Cook over medium heat, covered, gently stirring. Add just a little water while cooking. Cook till the brinjals are fully cooked and the oil comes to the surface. Serve hot. The dish has a thickish consistency.

Ingredients:
A good pinch of saffron strands, finely crushed
1 tbsp boiling water, 1 large aubergine
3 tbsps vegetable oil; 1 large onion, chopped coarsely
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch piece ginger root, chopped
1 � tbsp mild or medium curry paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
150 ml double (heavy) cream
150 ml strained thick yogurt
2 tbsps mango chutney
Salt and pepper; Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Place the saffron in a small bowl, add the boiling water and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Trim the leaf end off the aubergine, cut lengthways into quarters, then into 1 cm inch thick slices.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (skillet), add the onion and cook gently for 3 minutes. Stir in the aubergine, garlic, ginger, curry paste and cumin and cook gently for 3 minutes.
Stir in the saffron water, cream, yogurt and chutney and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the aubergine is cooked through and tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
You will find that yogurt adds a creamy texture and pleasant tartness to this sauce. If you are worried about it curdling on heating, add a tablespoonful at a time and stir it in well before adding another. A little cornflour (cornstarch) blended with the yogurt before cooking, also helps prevent it from separating when heated.

Ingredients:
40 gm tamarind pulp; 500 gm baby aubergines
Salt; � fresh coconut, grated
6 whole red chillies; 1 tbsp coriander seeds
� tsp cumin seeds; 4 tbsps oil
� tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
8-10 curry leaves
400 gm onions, chopped
� tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Procedure:
Soak the tamarind in � cup hot water for at least 30 minutes. Make 2 incisions, like a cross, halfway up each aubergine. Cut off the stems. Soak in water with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, to reduce the natural bitterness.
On a heated griddle toast the coconut for 5-6 minutes, then add the chillies and coriander seeds and toast for 2-3 minutes. Add the cumin and toast for 1 minute. Put into a small grinder and grind to a paste, adding a little water.
Heat the oil in a cooking pot and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the garlic, ginger and curry leaves, then the onions and turmeric. After 25 minutes add the spice paste and saut� for a further 10-15 minutes, adding a little water if the spices stick.
Add 2 cups water, stir well, add salt to taste (about 1-1/4 tsp) and the aubergines and cover with the lid. After 15 minutes add the tamarind water (after squeezing the tamarind and straining it). Cook until the aubergines are tender, then remove from the heat and sprinkle with coriander leaves before serving.

Ingredients:
12 aubergines, small and oblong
� cup mustard oil; 4 cloves; 2 bay leaves
A pinch of asafoetida soaked in 1 tbsp water
Step 1:
1 tbsp cumin powder; 1 � tbsp fenugreek seed powder
1 tbsp fennel powder, 1 � tsp mustard seed powder
1 � tsp onion seeds; 1 tsp coriander powder
� tsp carom seeds; 2 tbsps red chilli powder
� tsp turmeric powder; 2 tbsps dry mango powder
Salt to taste

Procedure:
Wash the aubergines in running water, pat dry, slice off the crown, slit crosswise along the length, and keep aside.
Heat the mustard oil in a wok on a high heat until it starts smoking. Remove and cool.
Mix the step 1 ingredients together in a bowl.
Pack the aubergines with equal quantities of the above mixture.
Reheat the mustard oil; add cloves, bay leaves, asafoetida, and stuffed aubergines, cover with a lid, and cook on low heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adjust the seasoning and remove. Transfer to a flat dish and serve.