Eggplant Lavangi

Can be served as a cold or hot appetizer.

Ingredients

• Small eggplants 1 kg

For the lavangi (stuffing)

• Red onion 2 pcs
• Walnuts 150 g
• Sour plum paste (palchiq turshu) 1 tsp
• Butter 1 tsp
• Salt 0.5 tsp
• Black pepper 0.5 tsp

For coating the eggplants

• Salt 1 tsp
• Black pepper 1 tsp
• Sour plum paste 1 tsp

Method

1. 1.Peel the stems of the eggplants, slit them down the middle, and pierce the sides with the tip of a knife (without going all the way through). Boil them in salted water to blanch.
2. 2.Check with a fork; if the eggplants are soft, remove them from the heat.
3. 3.The eggplants need to be drained of their liquid. Place paper towels on a strainer, arrange the eggplants on top, cover with more paper towels, a plate, and a heavy weight. The slit side of the eggplants should face sideways, otherwise they will open under the weight. Leave them to drain for about 2 hours (or up to 7 hours if wrapped in cheesecloth).
4. 4.For the lavangi, pass the walnuts and onions through a meat grinder. Squeeze the juice out of the onions, then add salt, black pepper, butter, and sour plum paste, and mix well.
5. 5.Mix the sour plum paste for coating with salt and pepper, and rub it inside the eggplants (rubbing it on the outside will make them turn black).
6. 6.Stuff the inside of the eggplants with the lavangi mixture.
7. 7.Cook in a pan with butter over low heat for 10 minutes on each side with the lid closed.

Notes

• Try to buy thick sour plum paste (palchiq turshu), which is usually sold in local markets.