Stuffed Brinjal (Egg Plant) - Gutthi Vankai Koora

Stuffed Brinjal or Gutthi Vankai Koora (గుత్తి వంకాయి కూర) is an out and out Andhra speciality again mostly popular in the costal districts of Andhra Pradesh. It is a very simple to cook and delicious to eat. Can be a great combination with the Horse Gram Broth that was mentioned earlier. Invite a telugu person home for a meal and serve him/her this along with some Mango Pickle and Plain Dhal and you can be sure to impress the person.



Recipe - Stuffed Brinjal - Gutthi Vankai Koora: (serves 2)

Brinjals (thin and long; evenly sized) - 8
Tamarind - 20 gm
Mustard Seeds - 1 tea spoon
Cumin Seeds (jeera) - 1 tea spoon
Tymol (Vamu) - 1 tea spoon
White Lentils (Minapappu/Urad Dhal) - 50 gm
Split Black Chick Peas (Senaga Pappu/ Chana Dhal) - 50 gm
Dry red Chilles (long not round) - 3 or 4
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Fenugreek Seeds (Menthulu/ Methi) - 1 tea spoon
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Oil - for frying
A clean string to tie the brinjals.


For additional volume to curry:
Onions - 3 (chop)
Green Chillies - 2 (slice)
Curry Leaves - a few (whole)
Garlic - 3 pods (peeled and roughly ground)
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil to fry onions - 2 tea spoons

Procedure:
- Slit the brinjals length-wise in the center with out seperating at the edge held by the handle of the vegetable. Slit is again length so that it has four seperations held together at the handle. Soak them in water so that the brinjal does not turn dark
- Heat 2 table spoons of oil in a sauce pan, only the oil is heated add mustard seeds, cumin, red chillies, white lentils, slit chick peas, fenugreek and fry till crisp (1 or 2 minutes). Take care to ensure taht they do not get burnt. Add asafoetida, tymol, turmeric and fry for 1 minute and take it off from heat. move ingredients into another vessel and let them cool down
- Add tamarind, salt to the fried ingredients and grind it to a paste/powder
- Fill the stuufing in between the slit brinjals and tie the four flaps together with the string so that the stuffing is held between them. Tie it gently in close to both the ends and center
- In a clean frying pan pour enough oil to fry a quarter the level of the brinjal and heat the oil
- The oil should not be very hot, place the brinjals carefully in it and cook covered on low flame. The vegetable should be cooked slowly to ensure it is evenly done on all sides. Use a wooden spatula to gently turn them while cooking, take them out and let them rest in a platter on tissue paper to absorb the excess oil if any
- In a seperate vessel prepare heat the oil to prepare the onions
- Add green chillies and curry leaves to the heated oil and fry for 1 minute
- Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry till golden brown, add turmeric powder mid-way, add salt to taste. If any of the mixture used for stuffing the brinjals is left that can be added to the onions a minute before finishing up the preparation
- Transfer the onion prepartion over the brinjals and serve hot

* Ensure that threads are gently removed before taking the dish to the table to serve. Serve gently so that the brinjal does not fall apart.

* You can opt not to make the onion preparation if not desired.


Enjoy it with hot rice or eat them directly... Your family & friends will love this.