Indian Spice Stuffed Vegetables

This was the first Indian dish I ever tried. I was in New York and my friend Nick and I went to his friend Rena’s house and she cooked this meal. She served it with flat bread and rice. I was amazed at the punch of flavor and the mesmerizing delicious aroma. Of course my version isn’t half as good, but I still think it’s a great recipe with a lot of flavor.
I am not a huge potato fan, so often times I will make this with just eggplant. Also, if you can’t find the cute little baby eggplant, just cut thick slices of a regular eggplant, cut a pocket in the middle and stuff the slices with the spices.

Indian Spice Stuffed Vegetables

12 Small Potatoes (I like to use red)
12 Baby Eggplant (You can find these at the Asian grocery store, they are about the size of a plum)

Stuffing:
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
2 Tablespoons Ground Coriander
2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
1 Tablespoon Peanuts, roughly crushed
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
½ Teaspoons Mustard Seeds
14 Ounce Can Chopped Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro
2/3 Cups Water

Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees. Make slits in the potatoes and eggplant.

Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing together in a plate. Carefully stuff the potatoes and eggplants with the spice mixture. Place the stuffed potatoes and eggplants in a greased ovenproof dish.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard seeds for 2 minutes until they begin to sputter, then add the tomatoes, coriander and any leftover stuffing, together with the water. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Pour the sauce over the potatoes and Eggplant. Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are soft.