Yennegayi,Whole Brinjal in Tangy Spicy Gravy

Ingredients:

Dry Masala for stuffing
Roasted and peeled Ground nuts: 2 tblsp
Coriander seeds/dhania: 1 tblsp

Cumin seeds/jeera: 1 tsp

Urad dal: 1 tsp
Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
Clove: 3-4 nos

Red chilli: 7-8
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 3 strings

Roasted channa da(gram)l/Pottu kadalai: 1 tbsp
Black sesame: 1 tsp
Niger seeds/hucchellu: 1 tsp (This is a must to get the authentic taste)
Dry coconut: 1-2 tbsp (grated)
Asafetida: 2 big pinches
Salt to taste

For the gravy:
Small eggplant: 10-15
Tamarind paste: 3 tblspns
Powdered Jaggery: 1 tsp(optional but recommended)
Onion: 1 big
Garlic: 2 pods

Oil: 3-5 tblsps
Water: 1.5-2 cups
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 2 strings
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Method:

Dry masala for stuffing

-Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned(except Peanuts,coconut, roasted channa dal, asafetida & salt). Allow the spices to cool.

-Grind the roasted spices and roasted channa dal, coconut, asafetida, salt to prepare a fine powder.

- Finally add peanuts & run the mixie for 5secs (idea is to powder the peanuts to a coarse powder).

For gravy

- Wash the eggplant and slit the eggplant into 4 pieces .

- Fill a tbsp or less of the ground masala powder to each of the eggplant and keep the stuffed eggplant aside as shown below.

- Heat oil in a broad pan (ensure that the pan accommodates to cook all the whole eggplants)and season it with mustard seeds, cumin seeds,curry leaves.

- Add in garlic, onion and Sauté until onion turns golden brown.

- Add tamarind paste,the remaining dry masala powder and the stuffed eggplants and stir well as the gravy and Oil coats on the eggplants.

- Add water, jaggery, salt (check the taste before adding, as we have already added salt to the Masala powder), and mix well.

-Close the pan and let it cook on a low heat stirring occasionally and carefully so that they don’t break.

- Add little more water if required and cook for 15-18 mins or until the gravy becomes thick and the eggplants soft.

- Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve .

This is an authentic North Karnataka food best served with jolada roti. Yennegayi literally means kayi(vegetable) cooked in yenne(oil). So the more oil you put, the tastier the dish would be.