Eggplant cups stuffed with veg and nuts

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Few days back I got a call from LG company to ask whether I am interested to participate in the cooking competition. First I said No as I was little busy with mom's work. But, thanks to LG guy, who came home and explained the contest and the procedure, my mom forced me and told me it will be a good experience. I registered my name without any recipe in my mind. I thought of trying a cake. But I did not get more time spend on the recipe and the garnishing. 

I don't know why this recipe came in my mind!! May be because, it was easy, simple, quick and easily available ingredients. I had read it in one of old magazine at my friend's place. But never tried it before. It is a Turkish dish called "Imam Bayildi" May be I chose this one because, it is 100% cooked in a microwave which was the rule of the contest. In the original recipe, its a traditional cooking method. But I changed it into M/W cooking.

My friend Vaishaly is also a very good cook, very creative and very enthusiastic person. We both did shopping and tried it together(her and mine). I will post her recipe also in coming days.

Now coming to my recipe :

Ingredients:

Long and big Brinjals – 2

Onion- 1 chopped finely

Carrot - 1 cubed

Green Capsicum – 1 small, cubed

Fresh corn – 2 tbsp

Oil – 4 tbsp

Garlic – 2 cloves, chopped finely or crushed

Salt to taste

Sugar – ½ tsp

Oregano – a pinch

Lime juice – 1 tbsp

Fresh coriander – 2 tbsp, cleaned and chopped finely

Nuts – ¼ cup, cut into small pieces (Almonds, Cashew nuts,
Raisins)

Pepper powder – a pinch

Tomato – 1 big, cubed

Method:

·        Keep the brinjals in salted water for half an hour.

·        Cook the brinjals in a large uncovered microwave safe bowl on HIGH for 5 minutes, turning from time to time. Then immediately keep the brinjals in cold water to cool.

·        Now split the brinjals into half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh, leaving a little inside the shell and chop the pulp.

·        Heat half the oil in a micro wave safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute. Put Garlic and keep on HIGH for a minute.

·        Add the onions and carrot and keep on HIGH for another minute. Now add cubed capsicum and sweet corn. Mix properly and cook for another half minute.

·        Now add chopped Brinjal. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes. Keep on stirring in between.

·        Open and season it with salt pepper and oregano. Mix well and add sugar. Cook for 2 more minutes.

·        Take it from the microwave and transfer into a bowl. Add 1 tsp oil, lime juice, half of fresh coriander and half of nuts.

·        Sprinkle evenly the salt and pepper powder inside the shells.

·        Stuff the mixture into the Brinjal shells and chill in the fridge.

·        Before serving, garnish with remaining fresh coriander and nuts.

Just make sure that the brinjal is baked properly.

And

If you choose the small brinjals, you can serve it one whole cup as a starter.

This is how I tried the garnishing at home, but was not happy with it. So changed it.

The competition was a very good experience for me as it was the first cooking competition. All the contestants were very creative.

Hoping to participate and be more creative in the future.

Sending this to Srivalli's 365 days of Microwave Cooking! event 

Keep Smiling,