GUTTI VANKAYA KURA( Baby Brinjals In Gravy)

Brinjal/Eggplant, a vegetable so versatile that a number of recipes can be made/created with it. Gutti Vakaya Kura is a speciality from the Andhra region in South India. Baby brinjals simmered in a peanut sauce. There are many ways of making this dish. Sometimes it is made with gravy, like this recipe or is stuffed and roasted. I prefer the gravy version for the taste of peanuts and the tartness of the tamarind. Baby brinjals are the preferred variety for this recipe. Let's get to the recipe right away.

  PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                  COOK TIME: 30 Mins

 TOTAL TIME: 50 Mins                                COURSE:  MAIN 

 CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                         SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients:

Baby brinjals 400 gm 

Turmeric powder 2 tsp (split)

Salt as per taste

Red chilli powder 3 tsp(split)

Oil for roasting and tempering

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Jaggery a small bit(optional)

For paste

Peanuts/ groundnuts 2 tbsp

Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Ginger 1 inch piece

Garlic around 6 pods

White Sesame 2 tsp

Green chilli 2

Grated coconut 1 tbsp

Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball( deseeded)

Directions: Slit the baby Brinjals midway into a cross. Keep the green stalk intact and do not cut it away.  Mix1tsp turmeric powder, salt, and 2 tsp chilli powder. Apply a little of this powder inside each brinjal and set aside. Roast all the ingredients mentioned under paste in 1 tsp oil and allow it to cool. Once cool, grind them to a fine paste in a blender. Now in a Karahi or pan heat 1 tbsp oil, put in the brinjals a few at a time and roast for few minutes( approx 5 min). The brinjals should not turn limp but should start getting s little soft. They will start changing colour to brown. At this stage remove them from the pan and set aside. In the same pan/karahi take 1 tbsp oil and heat. add in the mustard seeds and as they crackle add the curry leaves and turmeric powder. fry for 30 seconds and add the ground peanut paste to the oil and stir continuously. Reduce flame before adding the paste, as the paste can stick to the pan. Add salt, red chilli powder( only if you need more spice, remember we have already added green and red chilli to the paste). Fry the paste nicely for 2 minutes. The raw taste of the peanuts must not remain. At this stage add 2 cups water and drop the baby brinjals into the sauce. Add the jaggery at this stage if you are using it( this is optional). Cover and simmer on low fire for 15 minutes. Open the lid and stir the contents every now and then. At the end of 15 minutes, the sauce should have reduced and the brinjals should have cooked, but yet stiff. The spicy Gutti Vankaya Kura is ready to serve. This dish goes well will Pulav, vegetable rice(Brinji), or even Roti, Parathas and other bread. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients.

2. Slit the Baby Brinjals midway as shown in the picture. Mix 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp red chilli powder and salt as per taste. Apply this powder into each brinjal. Set aside.

3. Take 1 tsp oil in a karahi and fry all ingredients mentioned under paste. Cool it and grind to a smooth paste.

4. In the same karahi take 1 tbsp oil and roast the brinjals a few at a time. They should change colour and get a little tender, but not limp. Remove from the karahi and set aside.

5. In the same karahi add another tablespoon oil and heat. Put in the mustard seeds and curry leaves. as the mustard splutters add the turmeric powder and fry for 1/2 a minute.

6. Now add the ground paste and stir constantly and don't allow it to stick to the pan. Fry for 2 minutes and add salt, red chilli powder( only if you want it spicier)and continue frying. The raw taste of the peanuts should subside.

7. Now add 2 cups of water and mix. Drop the brinjals slowly into the sauce and cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring in between every now and then. If using jaggery, add now.

8. When done, the sauce should have thickened, and the brinjals should have cooked and retained the shape. The Gutti Vankaya Kura is ready to serve.

NOTES:

1. Peanuts without the skin can be used. Skin need not be removed. 

2. Jaggery is usually used to break the complex proteins of the peanut. You can choose not to add. 

3. Do not cut the green stalk of the brinjal. It helps in retaining the shape after cooking. Some people love chewing on the cooked stalk. It tastes really good.

4. If you don't wish to roast the tamarind with the other paste ingredients, you can make pulp and add it while the sauce is simmering.