Eggplant/Vankaya Menthi Karam

Oh where to start with to say about brinjal now. I can say that the vegetable that we make it at any times in any event is brinjal. In andhra there will be no event or festival without this curry... Will go good with any veggie. Can be a combination for anything. Unlimited recipes can be done by this.

In my college days i used to have one dish that my friend use to get it for lunch in her box. Whenever she gets that curry i used to grab out of her for the first spoon. Still cant forget the taste of it. Dont know how but somehow we missed that type of curry in my house. My mom used to make a different versions of it with similar look. But this tastes real good with some different taste. This is pretty much famous and easy too.

But then i use to have it from her box but have no thought of trying it. The other day when im talking to her, we were discussing about our college days and then came the topic of our lunch time and how i used to have it from her always.. Now being very much interested in cooking and all such stuff i took the recipe from her and gave an attempt yesterday and it came out really good. Thanku Somu for such a nice recipe.

Really Miss my friends and those days a lot...:( Thanku all for the love and care forever... Love u all dear... :)

Ingredients :-

Eggplant/ Vankai - 8 to 10
Onion - 1/2 , optional (coarse grind it)
Tamarind paste - 4tsp (thick)
Oil - 3tsp
Dhaniya jeeera powder - 1tsp
Few Curry leaves
Few coriander leaves
Salt to taste

For powder:-
Methi/fenugreek seeds- 2tsp
Red Chillis - 4 to 5
Chana Dal - 1tsp
Jeera - 1tsp
Urad dal - 1tsp



Procedure :-

• Clean eggplant and make long slits vertically around 6 slits and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan and to it add all the powder ingredients and dry roast them till they are little brown colour. (make sure they sont turn iuts colour too much else it may spoil the curry)
• Take them into blender and grind it into a fine powder and take is aside.
• Now by adding little water in it make it a paste but not too thin and stuff this mixture in the slit eggplants and keep aside.
• Now heat oil in a pan and add these eggplants and keep the lid.
• Now within 5 mins turn them to the opposite side and let them fry. They have to become almost soft. (may take a little time depending on the eggplant but some may be cooked within 5-10mins too)




• Take them aside and in the same oil add the onion paste, curry leaves, chillis and fry till the onion paste turns out brown.
• Now to this add the fried brinjal, 1cup water, tamarind paste, tomato and keep the lid and let it cook till the gravy thickens.
• Now finish it off with coriander leaves and serve it with hot rice.