Bharli Vaangi (stuffed brinjal) is a Maharashtrian dish which I learnt from my grandmother, who was an excellent cook. This easy to make dish is tasty and healthy and consumes very less oil.
What you need
Brinjals, small - 5
Peanut powder or ground peanuts – 1/2 cup
Onion, medium-sized, finely chopped - 1
Ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 tsp
Cumin — 1/2 tsp
Coriander – 1/2 tsp
Haldi powder — 1/2 tsp
Tamarind pulp – 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Bengal gram – 2 tsp
Jaggery, grated — 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp
Oil – 2tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Salt - to taste
Cooking instructions
De-stem the brinjals and make four vertical slits stopping just short of the bottom. Keep the slit brinjals in salt water for 10 minutes and rinse.
Roast the coriander and cumin seeds together till they turn light brown. Powder this mixture.
Mix and grind this roasted mixture with chopped onion, tamarind pulp, grated jaggery, peanut powder, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, Bengal gram and salt.
Stuff all the brinjals with the mixture.
Heat oil in a cooking pan, add asafoetida and turmeric powder once the oil starts spluttering.
Add the brinjals and the leftover masala.
Fry for sometime. Add a quarter cup of water.
Cover the pan and cook in low to medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Bharli Vaangi can be served hot with rice or chappati.
Mira Shekhar is a homemaker who has lived in towns across India and brings those influences to her cooking.
