Stuffed Eggplants (brinjals) / Gutti Vankaaya Kura

Stuffed Egg plant (brinjal) / Guthi Vankaaya

When talking about Andhra vegetarian Cuisine, Gutti Vankaya or Stuffed eggplant cuury is the one that will surely jog your memory. It is usually made with tender, short and round egg plants (brinjal) be it a white or green or purple (your choice of color) the taste is pure fiery heaven.

There are numerous ways of making this curry, but this is my moms recipe and our family favorite.

A part from its wonderful taste, this recipe provides a very healthy meal, as  it is loaded with protein packed peanuts and calcium rich sesame seeds. A good reason to make this dish more often in every ones house.

My family likes this with simple veggie pulav.

Tip: Adding peanuts (ground nuts) and sesame seeds (nuvvulu) enhances the taste and gives a nice nutty flavor which is the key to the curry.

Ingredients-

• 12 small round egg plants (Brinjals)
• 1 large Onion diced
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• lemon size tamarind ( soak and extract the pulp) or 2 tbsp of Tamarind paste
• 1/2 cup roasted Peanuts (Dry Roast and grind the peanuts)
• ¼ cup Sesame Seeds / Nuvvulu (Dry Roast and grind the sesame seeds)
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1tbsp Garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 green chilies
• 11/2 tbsp red chili powder or adjust to taste
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp cumin
• 3tbsps Oil
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

Note- you can grind roasted peanuts and sesame seeds together

Stuffed baby green (Thai) eggplants curry

Directions-

1. For this recipe, I use pressure cooker. I know!!! Many of you might be rolling your eyes, but I bet this method makes it very easy and you can’t find one hard uncooked piece of eggplant, cooked in this way. This method may be new to you but, it is worth a try, the results are very satisfying.
2. Wash and cut egg plants (brinjals) from the opposite side of stem. Make a slit towards stem side but not all the way through i.e slit each brinjal into four sections lengthwise without cutting off the crown. Soak the slit brinjals in salt water.
3. Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf and cumin. Sauté them for few seconds.
4. Add onions, green chilies and fry them till onion tunrs little brown, add ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
5. Add brinjals to the cooker and sauté them on medium heat for 3-5 mins (if it burning, sprinkle little water to protect from burning)
6. Add the peanut and sesame powder. Sauté it for a min. Add tamarind pulp, salt and chili powder.
7. Cover and cook them until one whistle on medium heat. Let all the pressure release by itself.
8. Open the lid, adjust the taste and cook it further for 3 mins.
9. Add garam masala powder and cook it further till oil separates.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with steamed rice or roti or pulav.
    

    Guthi Vankaaya curry served with pulav