"Stuffed" Eggplant with Mango Powder

Mix

2T ground coriander

1T groun cumin

1t garam masala

2t mango powder

salt to taste

chilli to taste

Quarter

2 small onions

Wash and dry

8 small eggplants (the long thin kind work better than the pear-shaped ones)

Slit lengthwise into 4 sections, held together at the stalk end.

Stuff eggplants with spices.

Heat

3T oil

in skillet; add

onion quarters + eggplant.

Fry over gentle heat, turning once or twice, until tender. Cover if fat splatters.

NB: The "frying" works OK, but with small "pear=shaped" eggplants, I did the following:

• 1. Cut in half lengthwise

  2. Split each half into 4 sections as before

  3. Place the halves, cut-side down, on a lightly greased teflon cookie sheet, with the onions scattered around them.

  4. Cook in a 375 deg oven for about a half-hour.

Those in the bottom half came out better than those in the top half -- the surface on the cookie sheet got nicely browned, and the eggplant cooked through. If I were to do it again, I'd go for 30 min at 350, followed by 10 min at 400F to brown the cut side of the eggplant. I'd swap the upper and lower pans (if I had two) abiout halfway through each part.