Guthi Vankaya(Stuffed eggplant cury)

We'll find stuffed eggplant recipe in almost every part of the world. In India too, it differs from region to region. The difference is in the spice mixture used. I love to try out dishes from everywhere. Guthi Vankaya  Koora  is specific to Andhra Pradesh. It is nothing but small purple eggplants stuffed with spices and cooked in tamarind juice and water. It tastes awesome with pappu(dal) and rice.

Ingredients:

6-8 small round eggplants, washed
1 medium onion, sliced
1 Tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
2-3 green chili, slit
1 Cup tamarind juice
few curry leaves
mustard seeds, urad dal, Chana dal and asafetida for tempering
1 Tbsp. oil

For masala
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3-4 dried red chili
1-inch cinnamon
1 clove
1 cardamom
1 teaspoon fresh grated coconut
4 Tbsp. roasted peanuts

Method:

1. Roast all the ingredients for masala except roasted peanuts in a little oil. Powder once cooled.
2. Wash eggplants, make four slits from the top to bottom, keeping them intact. Keep them soaked in salted water for a few minutes.

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan to medium. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, Chana dal and asafetida to temper.

 

4. Add slit green chili, curry leaves and onion. Sauté till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and stir for a couple minutes.

 5. Meanwhile pat dry eggplants. Stuff them with masala.

6. Place eggplants in one layer in the pan with onion. Gently cook for 5 minutes.

7. Add tamarind water to eggplant. Add more water if required. Mix remaining masala with little water and stir into the pan. Lower the heat, cover and cook till eggplants are soft, turning every few minutes. It took less than 15 minutes to cook.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice.