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5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Masala Eggplant

Instant Pot Masala Eggplant Curry. Pressure cooked Indian Baghare baingan. Stuffed Baby Eggplant / Brinjal Curry. Vegan Glutenfree Soyfree Recipe Add some chickpeas or cooked beans to make into a meal. Serve with flatbread or rice.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Glutenfree, Indian, Vegan
Servings: 3
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

Stuffing Masala:

  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 to 3 tbsp chickpea flour or besan
  • 2 tbsp chopped nuts such as peanuts or cashews
  • 2 tbsp coconut shreds
  • 1 to 1.5 inch ginger chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 hot green chile chopped
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • a pinch of cinnamon
  • 1/3 to 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp raw sugar jaggery or sweetener
  • 1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
  • water as needed

Curry:

  • 4 to 6 baby eggplants
  • 1 cup water
  • cilantro coconut and garam masala for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot:

  • Heat a small skillet over medium heat or heat the instant pot over saute. Add coriander, cumin and mustard seeds and cook for 2 mins or until the coriander seeds change color.
  • Add chickpea flour and mix well. Cook for a min. Add the nuts and coconut and mix well. Roast for 1-2 mins until fragrant. Cool the mixture for a minute then transfer to a small blender or small food processor.
  • Process/blend to coarsely grind.
  • Add ginger, garlic, chile, lime/lemon and the rest of the ground spices and pulse to make a coarse mixture. Add a tsp or so water until the mixture easily sticks. The mixture is a small amount so you will need a small blender. Alternatively, transfer the dry spice nut mixture from earlier step to a bowl. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, chile, rest of the ground spices, and mix in. Add lemon and water and mix and make a coarse pasty mixture.
  • Make cross cuts on the eggplant, not all the way through so the whole eggplant stays put. Fill the stuffing into the cross cut. See pics above.
  • Place the eggplants in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Add 1 cup or more water and 1/4 tsp salt. At this point you can also add in a cup of cooked chickpeas or other beans. Pressure cook for 3 to 5 mins depending on the size of the eggplants. Let the pressure release naturally. Garnish with coconut, cilantro and garam masala and serve with flatbread/roti or rice.

Saucepan:

  • At the last step, place the stuffed eggplants in a skillet or shallow saucepan with a lid. Add 1.5 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and ook over medium heat for 18 to 22 mins or until tender to preference.

Notes

You can double the stuffing and make a sauce to add other veggies. Cook 1/2 cup chopped onion in 1 tsp oil until translucent, add the stuffing paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup or more water and add veggies of choice. Cook to tender. Adjust salt and heat.
Nut-free: Omit the nuts and use more of chickpea flour and coconut
Shorter Stuffing method: Use pre roasted nuts that have been coarsely chopped. Add chickpeas flour, coconut, ground coriander, cumin, mustard powder instead of whole spice. Mix rest of the dry stuffing ingredients in a bowl. Add mined ginger, garlic and lime juice. add water to make a paste and use.
Nutritional values based on one serving

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 1509mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 16.8mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2.6mg