Today we are cooking the stuffed aubergines. But before that lets talk about day dreams. For the past few weeks I am absolutely smitten by the movie Ratatouille. The fun for the cherub but the meaning for me as an adult. Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Humans (maybe rats too) are emotional beings they question their purpose, life, jobs and relationships.We like to drag a little drama into our life since everyday life is so monotonous for most of us.Sometimes you question your good intentions. But I guess ‘To err is human’. And I am not perfect!!
Just like the Remy and Linguini we all have our dreams within our lack and strength. Not everybody is blessed with abundance and opportunities. But should you stop dreaming ? Never…….
I like day dreaming by the window and after all these years I have concluded my day dreams are purple in hue. I have woven the threads haphazardly but they still emerge as sense, giving me fresh lease to rethink my purpose. (Since my last post was about colours in Burano). I would love to live in that purple house. 🙂
I am leaving these beautiful lyrics with you to stumble over and go fuzzy in your dreams. Each one of us has the right to believe and the right to a feast. The song is not related to my life but sometimes just the beauty and lyrical quality moves you to trance.Even if you can’t decode the language but you can interpret them in your subconscious and lilt. 🙂 Yes, I am a romantic…….
Le Festin – French (Listen)
Les rêves des amoureux sont comm’(e) le bon vin
Ils donn(ent) de la joie ou bien du chagrin
Affaibli par la faim je suis malheureux
Volant en chemin tout ce que je peux
Car rien n’est gratuit dans la vie
L’espoir est un plat bien trop vite consommé
A sauter les repas je suis habitué
Un voleur solitaire est triste à nourrir
A un jeu si amer je n’peux réussir
Car rien n’est gratuit dans…
La vie… Jamais on ne me dira
Que la course aux étoiles; ça n’est pas pour moi
Laissez moi vous émerveiller et prendre mon en vol
Nous allons en fin nous régaler
La fêt(e) va enfin commencer
Sortez les bouteilles; finis les ennuis
Je dresse la table, de ma nouvell(e) vie
Je suis heureux à l’idée de ce nouveau destin
Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin
Une vie à me cacher et puis libre enfin
Le festin est sur mon chemin
The Feast – English
The dreams of lovers are like good wine
They give joy or even sorrow
Weakened by hunger, I am unhappy
Flying in any way I can
Because nothing in life is free
Hope is a dish eaten too quickly
I am used to skipping meals
A solitary thief is sad to feed
For us, I am bitter, I want to succeed
Because nothing is free in life
Life… Never will they tell me
That the course of the stars: it’s not for me
Let me fill you wonder, let me take a flight
We can finally be happy
The feast will finally start
And take away the bottles, and the troubles
I am setting the table,tomorrow is a new life
I am happy at the idea of a new destiny
A life spent in hiding, now finally free
The feast is on my way.
A life spent in hiding and finally free
The feast is on my way.
Stuffed aubergines
Going with my dreams I have chosen the purple aubergines. Stuffed aubergines are so sophisticated owing to the effort required and the range of ingredients like dry coconut,peanuts, sesame seeds, jaggery and tamarind go into preparing it.A slow cooked dish and tastes as stunning as it looks. This version of mine hails from Maharashtra but always with a twist. 
- 5-6 aubergines/eggplant
- 1/4 cup dry shredded coconut (desiccated)
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp tamarind pulp
- a small piece of jaggery
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp Maharashtrian goda Masala (optional)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (optional)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 20 gm Roasted Cashews
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- Fresh Cilantro and lemon wedges to garnish
- Wash and clean the aubergines.Make slits horizontal in the Aubergines.(as shown in picture)
- In a skillet add 2 tsp oil and splutter the cumin seeds, fry the ginger garlic paste.
- Add your dry spice powders such as turmeric,chilli powder and Goda masala.
- Follow by adding the sesame seeds,peanuts and dry shredded coconut.Fry for another minute.
- Mix the spice mixture with tamarind and jaggery and salt to taste.Remove from heat.
- Allow it to cool and then blitz it in the processor to make a coarse paste.
- Then take the slit aubergines and fill in the coarse stuffing into the aubergines.
- Give it a tight tug and press the stuffed aubergines in between your thumb and palm to ensure the stuffing in tightly packed into the aubergines and is re-shaped into the Aubergine.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a iron skillet,add the Asafoetida fry your onion until light pink in colour.
- Then gradually place the aubergines over the bed of onions and reduce the heat to minimum.
- Then sprinkle little salt with your fingers just to season the Aubergines as we have already added salt in our spice mixture.
- This is the tricky part we need to gradually char the four edges of the Aubergines. Fry each side for five minutes. Using lean aubergines gives the advantage of easy cooking and also usage of less oil.
- Caution do not give it a heavy stir as the stuffed masala would come out.
- Incase you feel the oil is very less you can add one 1 tsp of oil to adjust the richness.
- Once cooked, approximately 20 minutes sprinkle the roasted cashews and fresh cilantro.
- Serve it hot with hot chapatis or butter naan. You would love the delicious taste. I haven’t made it extremely spicy and it has the right balance of nuttiness and rich flavour of coconut.
Day dreams and aubergines and poetry in French. Hmmm you give elegant a new meaning. Loved it as usual…
Hello Khushnam,
I think your strong focussed pure blogging about your baking keeps me smitten.I am blessed to have friends who stop by just to read. Lots of love….
You are a beautiful writer Roy!
I am smitten by your prewrite up Just !!
Hey Sandhya,
Thank you so much for reading all the way. xoxo
Beautiful photography …soul stirring writing … Loved it!!
Hey Rumna,
Blessed to have such appreciative friends. It keeps me going. Do Critique when I didn’t match the expectation 🙂