Gutti Vankaya Ullikaram (Onion stuffed Eggplants)

This is South-Indian special curry that my mother used to prepare usually as a special item during sundays. We usually have it with sambar and some papads on the side. I enjoy stuffed gravies and especially brinjal. Either we stuff it with coriander leaves, onion or any other curry powder, it is a very obedient vegetable that can be tuned as per our taste-buds 🙂

Ingredients

Eggplants/brinjal/vankaya – 250 gms

Onion – 2 medium (roughly chopped)

Coriander leaves – 1/8 cup (roughly chopped)

Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Chana masala powder – ½ tsp (optional)

Grated Ginger – ½ inch piece (I used ¼ tsp ginger powder)

Tamarind pulp – 2 tbsp

Curry leaves – 5 or6

Hing/asafoetida – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 3 tbsp

Procedure:

1. To make the stuffing, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the onions till they turn translucent. The rawness of onions should disappear.
2. Once cooled, blend it into a coarse paste along with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, chana masala powder and coriander leaves. Do not add water. Place aside.
3. Slit the eggplants about 1/3^rd the length both horizontally and vertically. Check the image attached. Place each slit eggplant into water added with a tsp of salt. Prepare all the eggplants in this manner.
4. Stuff each eggplant with paste prepared above. Preserve any leftover paste, we will add it to the gravy.
5. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add the hing and curry leaves. Fry for about 30 secs.
6. Add the stuffed eggplants and cook covered on medium high for about 2 mins.
7. Give it a stir and reduce the flame to medium low, add some water if required and cook covered till the eggplants become soft.
8. Add the leftover paste and cook for another 2-3 mins.
9. Add the tamarind pulp and cook covered for a final 2-3 minutes and remove from flame.
10. Serve hot with plain rice, roti or pulkas.

Note: For a good consistency add as little water as possible to the dish.

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