Here is my simple recipe to make delicious curried stuffed eggplant also known as "Baingan Masala". This easy gluten-free and vegan curry has small baby eggplants stuffed with onion, ginger, garlic, and earthy spices. The eggplants are cooked in the Instant Pot for an authentic-tasting Indian curry that is ready in under 20 minutes.
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The original recipe posted in Feb 2017 has been updated with new photos and a video
Stuffed Eggplant is also called "Baingan Masala", or"Bharwan Baingan" in Hindi and "Bharli Vangi" in Marathi.
This is my mom's super easy and effortless recipe that uses all raw ingredients for stuffing. I have posted her stovetop baingan masala recipe that does not require any sautéing of onions or spices. This version is made in the Instant Pot that is ready in half the time with the same authentic flavors. And if you love eggplant try this delicious eggplant and potato curry for a quick weeknight meal.
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Ingredients
- Baby Eggplants - available in Indian grocery stores. Make sure to pick eggplant that are of the same size so they cook evenly
- Onion, Ginger & Garlic - finely diced red onion, fresh ginger, and garlic paste make an aromatic masala base for the curry
- Coconut - frozen grated coconut available in Indian grocery stores adds a nutty authentic flavor. You can also use unsweetened dry shredded coconut.
- Spices - turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin and coriander, and garam masala for earthy flavors and heat
How to Make Baingan Masala
- Trim the eggplant stem and make 2 cross slits in each eggplant without cutting the eggplant all the way through.
- Mix all the ingredients for the filling and stuff it in each eggplant.
- Heat oil in the Instant Pot and add mustard seeds. Allow the mustard seeds to pop which may take 2 to 3 minutes.
- Carefully add all the stuffed eggplants to the instant pot.
- Add any remaining stuffing.
- Add half a cup of water.
- Close the lid with the pressure value set to sealing.
- Pressure Cook for 4 minutes on low pressure. Do a quick release and open the Instant Pot. Garnish with cilantro.
Serving
Serve stuffed baby eggplants with hot parathas or roti. Serve with steamed basmati rice, cumin rice, or jowar roti for a gluten-free meal. Don't forget to add a side of cooling raita and a glass of ginger lemonade.
How to store eggplant curry
Refrigerate any leftovers. They will be good for 3 to 4 days. To reheat simply microwave or reheat on the stovetop in a small pan.
Pro Tips
- Baby eggplants are readily available at Indian grocery stores. Make sure to pick firm eggplants that have green and fresh stems. Also, try to pick eggplants that are of similar sizes.
- Baby eggplants I use are about 2 inches long and 1.5 inches thick excluding the stem. If your eggplants are bigger you may want to change the Manual setting to 5 mins. It is better to set it for a lesser time to avoid overcooking.
- If the eggplant seems undercooked, simply cook them on saute mode for 3 to 4 minutes with a glass lid on or keep the Instant Pot closed. The eggplant will continue to cook with remnant heat.
FAQ's
What is a good substitute for Baby Eggplant?
If you cannot find the small baby eggplant, you can also use the Japanese purple eggplant. Simply cut them into 2-inch pieces and make a cross slit going halfway through
Can I double this recipe?
You can easily double this recipe. The pressure cooking time will still be the same. It will just take a longer time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure
Love Indian curries? Check out my collection of 40 Instant Pot Curries
Recipe
Instant Pot Baingan Masala
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 8 small baby eggplants
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Wash and trim extra stem from the baby eggplants leaving about half an inch of the stem. Make 2 vertical cross slits going almost the end.
- Mix grated onion, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, fresh coconut, jaggery and salt in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients well and stuff them in the eggplants.
- Turn the instant pot to Saute mode and heat the oil. Add mustard seeds and allow them to start popping. Carefully add all the stuffed eggplants to the instant pot. Layer any remaining stuffing on top. Add water.
- Close the lid with the pressure value set to sealing. Set for Pressure Cook for 4 minutes on low pressure followed by a quick pressure release. Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- The eggplants I used were about 2 inches long and 1.5 inches thick excluding the stem. If your eggplants are bigger you may want to change the Manual setting to 5 mins. It is better to set it for a lesser time to avoid overcooking.
- If the eggplant seems undercooked, simply cook them on saute mode for 3 to 4 minutes with a glass lid on or keep the Instant Pot closed. The eggplant will continue to cook with remnant heat.
Nutrition
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Ashika says
I am new IP user, I wanted stuffed okra recipe. Archana can you please provide me detailed recipe for stuffed masala okra.
Archana says
Hi Ashika! I like to cook okra on stove top. Here is my fav recipe - https://ministryofcurry.com/stuffed-okra/
Sweta Agrawal says
Hi I have instant pot duo 6 quart v3. I am having a hard time figuring out the time based on your recipes. I press the pressure cook button on normal mode when your recipe ask for manual since there is no such mode in my model. But I end up cooking for twice the time than your recipes. For example, for this stuffed eggplant recipe, you cooked it on low pressure for 4 mins, mine took 8 mins. Am I doing something wrong. But the taste was great just like my Marathi friend prepares which takes close to an hour in stove top. I love all your recipes.
Archana says
I am thinking you might be using bigger eggplant? Just cook for 4 mins in high pressure instead. It will come out perfect. It’s such a yummy recipe with no much efforts
Sweta says
Thanks for replying!! the eggplants that I were about the same size as you. I will try 4 mins on high instead.
Jincy says
Made this again with three times the amount of bhaingan. I just tripled everything and it turned out golden! This recipe is so simple and easy and perfect each time!!!
Archana says
Thank you for the lovely feedback!
Richal Pate says
What if i want to add potatoes to thia dish?
Also does it take a while for the ip to reach high presssure ?
I tried high pressure for 5 minutes and ip never showed the countdown so I just turned it off .
Archana says
You can layer cubed potatoes on top. It takes around 5 minutes for the Instant pot to pressurize and then the 5 min cooking cycle starts.
Kuki Amin says
Loved this recipe! Could you please make Gujarati eggplant and potatoes shak!
Archana says
Yes! I love eggplant and potato Shak too
MichelleK says
My friend and I made this together and she started chopping the eggplants. We reduced the cook time to 2 minutes because of this. We’re following the whole30 (amongst other things no grains, sugar and dairy) right now, so left out the sugar and served this with riced cauliflower (fried in oil, with lime juice and coconut milk). It was delicious!
Susan Horvath says
I didn't bother with trying to stuff tiny eggplants! I simply sliced 1/2" rounds of the baby eggplants, layered the bottom added the stuffing layered eggplant again and continued as directed. YUM! fast and easy!. I didn't have coconut to put in but I ate it over coconut rice.
Archana says
Awesome! You proved that there is no way to go wrong with this recipe. Cook with what you have 🙂 Love the idea of serving over coconut rice. YUM
Eva says
Aromatic and even better than our favorite restaurant!
This is our first time making baby eggplant. So far, we've had more misses than hits when making eggplant and this was clearly an exception. Since covid hit the US, we started to cook more and have really enjoyed several of your recipes that have joined our regular rotation in our household. We're saving so much money while eating really delicious food. Thank you!
Monika says
Thanks a lot for the Super easy , quick to make and delicious recipe.
Aparna Champet says
Thanks so much for an easy dish.
If I was to triple this recipe for a party do I need to increase the water from .5 cup to 1.5 cups or do we only need .5 cups regardless for the steaming?
Archana says
Increase the water to 1 cup 🙂
Meg says
Delicious! Made for a nice quick veggie dinner during the work week. I would add make sure you have something on the side since it is pretty light, we did some coconut rice and samosa. Even my extremely picky parents who were visiting enjoyed this one!
Archana says
So happy to hear that your parents enjoyed this too!
Darina says
Archana ,
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, we have enjoyed so many of them.
Just made this today with my husband ,it was so delicious, very quick to make and easy to follow directions.
It was the first time we had bought baby eggplant and I was unsure how I was going to cook them.
Highly recommend it .
I did accidentally pressure cook on high for the four minutes. It still was excellent.
Thank you .
Happy holidays
Archana says
Thank you!!
Tina says
Can we substitute brown sugar if we don't have jaggery? How much? What are your thoughts on adding peanuts and sesame seeds for an authentic Maharashtrian version?
Archana says
Yes you can use brown sugar instead of jaggery with a 1:1 substitution.