Gutti vankaya koora

Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Brinjal curry)

This sunday, me and suresh have been to Little India,the home of indian community in singapore, I happened to spot these cute little green brinjals at the local market in serangoon road. This is a bustling market full of fresh vegetables, fish, meat, spices, flowers, souveneir items, clothes and what not.

Vankaya has been an all time favorite in my home. Though I use all kinds of brinjals, cooking gutti vankaya with these green ones especially brings out the best of this curry. This is one of the traditional recipe which is a must in our family gatherings. One bite of it, and you are in heaven :-)

Ingredients

green brinjals - 11

chillie powder - 2 tb sps

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

oil - 3 tb sps

1 1/2 cup of water.

salt to taste

for stuffing

1 cup sesame seeds

3 tb sps chana dal (senagapappu)

2 tb sps urad dal (minapappu)

4 garlic cloves (crushed)

2 elaichi

1 small stick of cinanmon

1 inch piece of ginger (chopped)

oil - 1 tb sp

Preparation

1. heat kadhai, add 1 tb sp of oil. Add chana dal, urad dal, choppped ginger, garlic, cloves, elaichi, cinanmon and fry for 3 minutes in low flame. add sesame seeds and fry till golden brown. switch of the flame, allow the mixture to cool and grind them to a tight paste adding little water if necessary.

2. Wash brinjals thoroughly in water and remove the stems. slit them in a plus shape.

3. Divide the ground paste into two halves(one for stuffing and the other for gravy).Carefully stuff the ground paste into each brinjal. use your left hand to separate the slits and stuff the paste with your right hand fingers slowly so that the brinjals do not break.

4. Heat 3 tb sps of oil in a kadhai, add curry leaves, and drop stuffed brinjals slowly. stir them for a few seconds gently and cover the pan with a lid. keep stirring occassionally and cover it with the lid again. Do this till the brinjals turn soft.

5. remove the lid, add the remaining portion of the ground paste, turmeric powder, chillie powder, salt,water and mix gently so that brinjals do not break.

6. raise the flame and allow the water to boil. once water has come to boil, lower the flame and cover with a lid. keep stirring ocassionally. As the gravy turns thick switch of the flame.