Directions

• Step 1 Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Step 2 Slice eggplants and toss with oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Once you have tossed the eggplant slices in the oil, lay them out on the prepared baking sheets and bake at 450 degrees F. for 25 minutes (turn the slices over at about 12 minutes). Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Step 3 To prepare the dal, heat oil in a large pan and saute shallots for about 8 minutes until the shallots are beginning to brown. Add the ginger paste, half the sliced chiles and half the curry leaves to the sauteed shallots and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add all the spices, tomato paste and lentils to the pan and stir. Add the coconut milk, water and salt to the pan, bring the mixture to a boil (decreasing the temperature to a medium simmer after it boils) and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the sauce to thicken and the lentils should become soft. Pour this lentil sauce mixture into a baking dish and set aside.
• Step 4 Prepare the stuffing for the eggplant. Add the grated paneer (or tofu), the lime zest, 1 T. of the lime juice, the mango pickle, cilantro and 1/4 t. salt together. Stir. Set aside.
• Step 5 Clean spinach leaves and remove the stems. Place one spinach leaf on top of a slice of the cooked eggplant. Spoon 1 large tablespoon of the filling on top of the spinach leaf  (You can use less filling if your eggplant slices are smaller.) and fold the eggplant, starting from the small end) until you have rolled the eggplant into a compessed roll. Set rolls aside. Place the eggplant rolls on top of the dal sauce and press them gently into the sauce. (Do not submerge the rolls into the sauce.) Bake the eggplant rolls and sauce for 15 to 20 minutes at 450 degrees F. You want the sauce to be bubbling hot and the rolls to be browning to a golden brown color. Remove the rolls and sauce from the oven and allow them to cool on the counter for 5 minutes.
• Step 6 Heat 1 T. olive oil in a shallow pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining red chile slices and curry leaves. Fry for about a minute until the curry leaves become crisp. Just before serving, pour this oil sauce over the eggplant rolls and drizzle the rolls with remaining 1 T. lime juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro.