I know, another guthi vankaya recipe, right? The main reason I wanted to post this is because it takes a lot less oil to make than the other recipes I found. My husband doesn't think everything I cook deserve to be on my blog, he thinks they are just yet another dish that everyone cooks. This may be yet another dish that everyone cooks, but I want to post it because after several failed attempts of guthi vankaya, this is a hit and hubby seems to love it. There you go, another reason why it should be on my blog.
Ingredients:
1. Brinjals medium to small size - 8-9
2. Curry powder for stuffing - 8-10 tsp (recipe coming soon)
3. Cumin - 1 tsp
4. Onion - chopped - 1 cup
5. Ginger/Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
7. Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp (Note that the curry powder also has red chilli)
8. Tamrind - Small lemon size - soaked in warm water
9. Curry leaves - few
10.Oil - 4-5 tbsps (plus 1-2 tbsp for rubbing onto the brinjals)
11.Salt - to taste
Method:
The method seems to be long, only because I want to give all the tips and cautions so that it comes out perfect. If you pre-make the stuffing curry powder, this dish is easy breezy to make. The powder will last for well over a month (or more, I haven't tried) even if you leave it in your pantry.
In a small cup mix salt, oil and turmeric. Slit each brinjal at the bottom, making sure the top is intact and it doesn't fall apart into pieces. If you have a brush you can use it, otherwise just use your fingers to rub the oil mixture to the inside of the slit brinjals. Repeat that for all brinjals, placing the ready brinjals in a microwavable dish. Microwave them for a minute, then turn them around and microwave for another minute. I know this is not my original idea, I read it somewhere, don't remember where, but this is the key to reducing the oil in this recipe.
Note that if you overcook the brinjals it will be hard to stuff them, so make sure the outer skin changes color and the brinjals are still firm enough. You may microwave in 30 seconds interval until you are sure of your settings.
Once the brinjals are cool enough, mix curry powder with salt and stuff each brinjal with curry powder. I microwaved this again for 2 minutes, giving a minute for each side. Make sure the brinjal is almost cooked, that way we avoid frying them in oil. Keep it aside.
In a pan pour 4-5 tbsps of oil. Once the oil is hot add cumin, then curry leaves, chopped onion, ginger garlic paste. When the onions are soft and the raw smell of ginger garlic paste leaves, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, 3-4 tbps of the stuffing powder and mix well. Now slowly add each brinjal to the pan. I add them one by one with a thong. Move the onion mixture a little bit so that the brinjals touch the bottom of the pan. Be gentle so that you don't break the brinjals into pieces. Reduce heat to less than medium and close the lid, just for a minute. Then turn them around and close the lid again for a minute. Again using a thong to turn them around works well for me.
Add the tamarind water and salt. I make sure that all the brinjals are immersed in water, if not fully atleast 3/4ths. Again close the lid and cook them in low heat - turning them around mid way, until the gravy thickens. Now open the lid and cook until the oils start to leave.
That's it, guthi vankaya / ennai kathirikkai is ready to be served with hot rice or even roti.
Ingredients:
1. Brinjals medium to small size - 8-9
2. Curry powder for stuffing - 8-10 tsp (recipe coming soon)
3. Cumin - 1 tsp
4. Onion - chopped - 1 cup
5. Ginger/Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
6. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
7. Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp (Note that the curry powder also has red chilli)
8. Tamrind - Small lemon size - soaked in warm water
9. Curry leaves - few
10.Oil - 4-5 tbsps (plus 1-2 tbsp for rubbing onto the brinjals)
11.Salt - to taste
Method:
The method seems to be long, only because I want to give all the tips and cautions so that it comes out perfect. If you pre-make the stuffing curry powder, this dish is easy breezy to make. The powder will last for well over a month (or more, I haven't tried) even if you leave it in your pantry.
In a small cup mix salt, oil and turmeric. Slit each brinjal at the bottom, making sure the top is intact and it doesn't fall apart into pieces. If you have a brush you can use it, otherwise just use your fingers to rub the oil mixture to the inside of the slit brinjals. Repeat that for all brinjals, placing the ready brinjals in a microwavable dish. Microwave them for a minute, then turn them around and microwave for another minute. I know this is not my original idea, I read it somewhere, don't remember where, but this is the key to reducing the oil in this recipe.
Note that if you overcook the brinjals it will be hard to stuff them, so make sure the outer skin changes color and the brinjals are still firm enough. You may microwave in 30 seconds interval until you are sure of your settings.
Once the brinjals are cool enough, mix curry powder with salt and stuff each brinjal with curry powder. I microwaved this again for 2 minutes, giving a minute for each side. Make sure the brinjal is almost cooked, that way we avoid frying them in oil. Keep it aside.
In a pan pour 4-5 tbsps of oil. Once the oil is hot add cumin, then curry leaves, chopped onion, ginger garlic paste. When the onions are soft and the raw smell of ginger garlic paste leaves, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, 3-4 tbps of the stuffing powder and mix well. Now slowly add each brinjal to the pan. I add them one by one with a thong. Move the onion mixture a little bit so that the brinjals touch the bottom of the pan. Be gentle so that you don't break the brinjals into pieces. Reduce heat to less than medium and close the lid, just for a minute. Then turn them around and close the lid again for a minute. Again using a thong to turn them around works well for me.
That's it, guthi vankaya / ennai kathirikkai is ready to be served with hot rice or even roti.
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