Stuffed Eggplant Curry / Gutthi Vankaya Koora

I just love these stuffed veggies curry. They are too tasty to stop eating. Little time consuming, but when you take a bite, you will not hesitate to take longer time to prepare.

Every week, when go for my weekly grocery purchase to Indian store, I get the eggplants or brinjals. But somehow, I never find time to prepare the stuffed curry. I should say, I bought 3 consecutive week, but never got the time to prepare them.  Today my entire cooking and cleaning got over in the morning itself. So I prepare stuffed eggplant in my relaxed way.

When you try a new recipe, don't we require our own time to prepare? I do take that much time. More to this, kuttan sleeps in the afternoon and he wakes at the drop of a pin. So, how am I to grind in my mixer. I waited till he woke up, to grind the spices. This is how my cooking goes from the afternoon to the late evening, still I enjoy every minute of it.




Stuffed Eggplant Curry / Gutthi Vankaya Koora 
(Print this Recipe)

You need:

Eggplants : 6-8 medium size
Dry Coconut : 3 tbsp
Urad Dal : 2 tsp
Chana Dal : 3 tsp
Peanuts - 2 Tbsp
Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp
Dried Red Chillies : 6 - 8
Cinnamon Stick : 1 inch piece
Thick tamarind extract : 1 tsp (or lemon sized tamarind in 1/2 cup water)
Cloves : 3
Oil : 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnishing

Dry roast the Peanuts, coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, red chillies,cloves and cinnamon stick on medium flame until fragrant. Let it cool completely.

Grind these roasted spices along with required salt. Once done add the dry coconut powder. Keep it aside.

Wash the eggplants, and make a X shape slit. Start stuffing the ground spices inside the slit. For easier and maximum stuffing, add spice in the center first, and press to maximum. (Take care that you do not open the slit to make eggplants open into half.) Once you press them, then stuff in the sides. 

Heat oil in a pan and add the stuffed eggplants slowly. Add the remaining spices, by sprinkling all over. And add little water to it.

Cover and cook in very low flame. after 5 mins, turn the eggplants to the other sides with your tongs. Cook and turn one more time if required.

Once cooked completely, add the tamarind extract and cook for another 2 minutes.

Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.