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Thursday 28 July 2016

Bharli Vangi / Maharashtrian Style Stuffed Baby Eggplant Curry Recipe


Bharli Vangi is an authentic  Maharashtrian delicacy. As the name itself suggest, bharli ( stuffed) and Vangi ( brinjals) , is basically an eggplant curry dish in which baby eggplants are stuffed with a spicy filling of onions, peanut powder , ginger - garlic and coconut paste and powdered spices. The stuffed eggplants are then cooked in a gravy with little tamarind paste and jaggery powder .


This is a spicy , slightly tangy curry with nutty flavor from the peanuts. Spicy Bharli Vangi paired with Bajrichi Bhakri is a winter delight . This is my husband’s all-time favorite gravy dish. It can also be served with jeera rice , chapati, urad dal papad and salad or raita. One can add Sesame seed powder also in this curry to give a rich creamy gravy. Vertical pieces of Potato can be added along with Eggplant , as a variation. The same gravy can be used with baby Potatoes also.


 Select light purple baby eggplant with a shiny skin for this recipe which are likely to have less seeds in it. But if you are lucky to get the small green variety with thorns on its stem, the curry will be more delicious. If you do not get small variety, you can cut the big ones into large chunks and add to the gravy. I love eggplant and i make variety of dishes with it like the Baingan Bharta , Baingan Bhaja , Baba ganoush , this bharli vangi , or pair the brinjal with potato , onions and tomato to make a spicy stir fry. All of them taste best with chapati and the gravy dishes go well with plain or jeera rice.

Ingredients: 

  • 8-10 baby Eggplants ( brinjals / aubergines)
  • A small gooseberry sized Tamarind
  • 1 tsp Jaggery (optional)
  • 1 Onion , finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp of roasted Peanut powder
  • 4-5 cloves of Garlic
  • 1/2 inch Ginger piece
  • 2 tbsp shredded dry Coconut
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala / Goda masala
  • 1 tsp Coriander Cumin Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
  • Pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp of finely chopped Coriander.
  • 3 tbsp Oil
  • Salt to taste.
Method:
  1. Wash and slit the baby eggplants lengthways, keeping the stems intact. Soak them in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt for 10-15 minutes , to remove the bitterness. Make a paste of garlic , ginger and coconut in a grinder without adding any water. Keep aside until use. Also soak the tamarind in half cup warm water for 10-15 minutes. Extract the pulp, strain and keep aside.

   2.  For the stuffing, heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. Add chopped Onions. Fry them until they turn soft. Now add roasted peanut powder , Garlic Ginger and Coconut paste , Turmeric powder , Red chilly powder , Garam masala , Coriander Cumin powder and Salt. Mix everything very well. Fry this filling on a low flame for 1-2 minutes. Put off the flame.

                          



   3.  Let the filling cool down enough to handle. Now stuff this into the slit eggplants. Filling mixture will be left after stuffing. We will be using it in the gravy. 


  4.  Heat remaining oil in the same wok. Add cumin seeds to it. Once the seeds crackle , add the asafoetida powder . Now add the stuffed eggplants and stir fry them for 1-2 minutes on low to medium flame with continuous stirring.      


  5.  Add  the reserved filling , mix well. Now add about 1 1/2 cup of hot water . Give a quick stir and bring the curry to a boil.


  6.  Add the tamarind paste and jaggery powder to the curry.



  7.  Mix and cover cook the curry on a low flame for 10-12 minutes or until the eggplants are tender and the curry thickens slightly. Make sure you stir the curry a few times during cooking so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. 



  8.  Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve the delicious Bharli Vangi with chapati , jeera rice and raita or salad. ( you cannot see coriander in the pics as i did not have it )


  I hope you would love to try this easy recipe. Do not forget to give your valuable feedback.
For more curry recipes from Maharashtian Cuisine , do check my posts on


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