Stuffed Brinjal | Dharwad style Badanikay Engayi

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I am trying to come out of the long pause from blogging with this wonderful Stuffed Brinjal recipe. This one is my mom's version of Dharwad style Engayi. You can make it in so many different ways. I will post my other variations when I make them next time. Sometimes I make the masala from scratch and when I am pressed for time I use all ready spice powders to make a quick one. Here is the detailed recipe, do try it out.

Ingredients:

Baby brinjal : 10

Dry red chilles (mild spice): 10-12 

Ground nut: 1/4 cup

Shredded coconut: 2-3 tbsp

Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Peppercorn: 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds : 1/2 tsp

Onion: 3

Garlic: 4-5 cloves

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
jaggery: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil: 2+2 tbsp
Coriander leaves

Method:
1. Slit the baby brinjals in the centre to ¾ th keeping the stems. Make another slit making + mark and keep them in water to avoid discoloration.

2. Dry roast all the ingredients for the powder - ground nut, dry red chillies, coconut, sesame seeds, peppercorn, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds and make a coarse powder and keep aside.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add curry leaves, finely chopped garlic and onion saute until the onion turn golden brown in color.

5. Add tamarind water, salt and Jaggery and bring it to boil.

6. Add in ground powder and mix well. Add coriander leaves and adjust the seasoning.

7. It will turn into a thick mixture, if its watery add a little bit groundnut powder and let it cool down.

8. Stuff the mixture into the slit brinjals. Keep the remaining masala aside.

9. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep pan and arrange the stuffed brinjal in a single layer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the brinjals and cook again with the lid for another 5 minutes.

10. Mix in the remaining masala and a little water and cover with the lid.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame. Serve hot with jawar roti or Chapathi.

 

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Badane Koddel | Green Brinjal Sambar

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Koddel Means Sambar in Tulu. My mother's Badane or bendekayi koddel (Brinjal or lady's finger Sambar) is my all time favorite. This sweet, sour and spicy dal preparation is a simple and comfort food that brings back fond memories from my childhood.  Most of the evenings after school me and my brother used to fight over comic books.  I always got 2nd turn to read those stories and I wasted no time and mostly ended up reading it while eating dinner. The super delicious koddel and super exciting stories from comic books were a crazy combination those days :) Those crazy, funny and carefree moments I try to relive through food:))

Here is how to make this easy and comfort food.

Ingredients: 
Togaribele /Toor Dal: 1 cup
Green slender brinjal : 2
Thick Tamarind Juice : 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Jaggery : 1 -1.5 tbsp
Saru/Rasam Powder: 2 tsp
Slit Green chillies: 2
Coconut oil/Ghee : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig
Broken dry red chilli: 1
Coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal in enough water for 15 minutes, add a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

2. Put Tamarind juice, Jaggery, Turmeric powder, Green chillies and 1 cup water in a pot and bring to boil.

3. Chop Brinjal into small pieces and add to the boiling tamarind mixture and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the brinjal turns tender.

4. Mash the cooked dal and add to the pot, add salt and rasam powder and water if needed to adjust the consistency and boil it for 10-15 minutes.

5. Heat oil/Ghee in a tempering pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds, broken dry red chilli, Hing and Curry leaves and saute for 30 seconds. Pour the tempring on the koddel and close the lid. Let it boil on low flame for 1-2 minutes and turn off the flame.

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and ghee.

Click here for Home Made Sarina pudi /Rasam powder recipe. 

Notes:
1. Simply replace Brinjal with Lady's finger to make Bendekayi koddel.

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Charred Brinjal and Coconut Chutney | Smoky Eggplant-Coconut Dip

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I spent my childhood in North Karnataka with a mixture of cultures and food around, my parents are from coastal Karnataka so at home lunch was always a combination of South Canara and Dharwad style recipes, which my mother learnt from our neighbors. Back in my ajji's house they always cook matta rice (boiled red rice) and most of the times we had this rice ganji (water wasn't drained from the rice) for dinner.

It is very healthy and can be eaten with pickle, vegetable palya, happala (papad) or any chutney. My mother used to make different types of chutneys to go with it like raw mango chutney, green tomato chutney or ridge guard peel chutney etc. These chutneys are simple to make with very few ingredients and tastes good with even chapathi or white rice.

Continuing with the recipes from my mother's kitchen, today's post is about delicious and smoky Charred brinjal and coconut chutney.

Learn how to make brinjal- coconut chutney:

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Recipe type: Chutney | Dip | Side Dish

Recipe Source: My mother

Ingredients:
1 medium sized purple Brinjal/Eggplant
1 medium sized Onion
4-5 green chillies
4-5 cloves of Garlic
1 cup fresh coconut
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 slice raw mango cut into pieces
Salt to taste

Method: 
1. Wash and wipe dry the brinjal and roast it on direct flame on the burner. Keep rotating it so it's evenly roasted from all sides.  Discard the charred skin and roughly chop the Brinjal once its cooled down.

2. In Mixer Jar add fresh coconut, raw mango pieces, green chillies, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and salt and grind for a minute, do not make a fine paste. 

3. Mix in roughly chopped onion and charred brinjal pieces and pulse it couple of times, add a little water if needed. This is just to combine everything well. Do not grind continuously as it will turn into a fine thick paste.

4. Serve the delicious smoky chutney with Rice or roti/chapathi. 

Notes:
1. You can replace raw mango with tamarind pulp but the mango flavor is highly recommended.
2. Roast the brinjal thoroughly from all sides, it's easier to remove the skin when its well cooked.
3. Do not grind the brinjal to fine paste as the taste will completely change.

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Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan - Baby Eggplant Curry

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Bagara Baingan or baby eggplant curry is a traditional dish from Hyderabad served with Biriyani. Ground peanut, coconut and sesame seeds slow cooked in tamarind water and spices gives it a very rich texture. It tastes delicious with chapathi and rice too.

Ingredients:

Baby Brinjal: 8-10
Peanuts: 1 cup
Dry Coconut: 2 Tbsp
Sesame Seeds: 3 Tbsp
Cinnamon : 1 small stick
Cardamom: 3
Cloves: 3
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp

Onion: 1 medium
Green chilli : 1
Curry leaves:  1 spring
Asafoetida/ Hing: 1 pinch
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp 
Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Jaggery : 1 tsp
Tamarind juice : 1/4 cup
Salt
Oil : 2 tbsp + for frying eggplants 

Method:
1. Dry roast peanuts on low flame for 2-3 mins then add sesame seeds and dry coconut and roast until sesame n coconut turn golden in color. 

2. Put it in a blender and add 1/2 cup water and grind to a slight coarse paste.

3. Slit the baby eggplants in the centre to ¾ th keeping the stems. Make another slit making + mark.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the eggplants until they turn soft. Keep aside until needed.

5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok, add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.

6. Then add mustard seeds once it splutters add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and sauté for 30 seconds.

7. Add chopped onion, hing, curry leaves and green chilli and fry until onions are cooked well.

8. Next add ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears.

9. Add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder and mix well.

10. Add 1/2 cup water and salt and bring to boil.

11. Now add the ground peanut,coconut and sesame seeds paste and mix well.

12. Cook it covered on low flame until the oil separates, keep stirring the gravy so that it doesnt stick to the bottom

13. Add tamarind water and jaggery and cook on a very low flame until the gravy is thickned to the desired consistency.

14. Add fried eggplants to the gravy and mix gently.

15. Close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes and turn off the gas.

16. Serve hot with chapathi or any flavored rice of your choice. 

Notes:

1. Do not grind peanut, coconut and sesame to fine paste, it will take longer to cook.

2. Keep the flame low and keep stirring otherwise the gravy will stick to the bottom and burn.

3. Cover with the lid as the gravy will splutter once it starts boiling.

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Roasted Baby Brinjals | Spicing up baby Brinjals/Eggplants

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Baby Brinjals have been associated with Indian Hallmark recipe of stuffed brinjals (Bharwaan Baingan / Barli vangi/badanekayi ennegayi). Stuffed Brinjals taste divine but preparation and cooking takes a while. I wanted something simpler and quicker so it was these roasted baby brinjals recipe that I cooked.

Roasting vertically slit baby brinjals in aromatic spices, garlic, ginger, jaggery and dry mango powder and topping with freshly pound whole garam masala makes it so wonderful and the best part is it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare this smoky, soft yet crunchy pan roasted brinjals.

What are you waiting for? Go on and try this simple, delicious dish for yourself and your family. Don't forget to send me your feedback :-)

Ingredients:

Baby Brinjals/Eggplants  : 8

Garlic: 7-8 cloves

Grated Ginger : 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Oil : 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida /Hing: 2 pinches

Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Dry mango powder: 1 tsp

Powdered jaggery:1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon stick : 1 inch

Cardamom : 2

Clove: 3-4

Peppercorn : 6-8

Coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method:

1. Slit baby brinjals lengthwise and make 4-6 pieces in each eggplant. Put them in the water and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida and saute for 30 seconds. 

3. Next add finely chopped ginger, garlic and Curry leaves and saute until raw smell disappears. 

4. Add Red chilli powder and turmeric powder and give a quick stir. 

5. Add sliced brinjals and combine well. All brinjal pieces should be coated with the masala. 

6. Mix in Salt, Jaggery and Dry mango powder and sprinkle 2 tbsp water and cook it covered for 4-5 minutes. 

7. While it's cooking take cardamom, clove, blackpepper and cinnamon stick in mortar pestle and crush it to a coarse powder. 

8. Add the crushed powder on the brinjals and mix well. let it cook for 2-3 more minutes and turn off the flame. Keep it for 5 minutes so that all the flavors are combined well.

9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with Roti/Chapathi or flavored Basmati rice. 

Notes:
1. You can squeeze in lemon juice at the end if you do not have dry mango powder. you can also use vinegar in place of dry mango powder.

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