Bharela ringan

Method

1. 1 Choose small eggplants and make deep cross-shaped incisions from the bottom upwards, but keep the stem attached.
2. 2 Roast the chickpea flour in a dry pan for 5 minutes; unroasted flour will have a raw flour taste.
3. 3 Mix roasted chickpea flour with grated coconut, palm sugar, coriander powder, turmeric, chili powder, and cilantro.
4. 4 Stuff the filling into the notches until the fruit is full, then gently squeeze to prevent the filling from falling out.
5. 5 Arrange the tomatoes upright and close together in a pan with mustard oil, then cover and cook for 25 minutes.
6. 6 Shake the pan instead of stirring to prevent the fruit from breaking, and squeeze the lemon juice when you turn off the heat.

With an appliance

• Oven 50 min

  Replace steps 5–6: arrange the stuffed eggplants upright and tightly packed in the tray, cover tightly, and bake on the middle rack of the oven at 180 degrees for 25 minutes, rotating the tray at the 12th minute; do not flip to keep the eggplant and stuffing intact.