Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Egg Plant / Brinjal)

I will be Green, I am also Purple

I bear the crown on my top

Nobody can stop!

And so, I am the king of Vegetables.

Egg Plant, otherwise called as Brinjal is considered as the King of Vegetables. Not sure why it is called as the King. Is it called because of the crown shaped head or may be because it tastes better? Whatever, let’s get into the subject here. Gutti Vankaya Kura is a popular Andhra special delight. The delicacy and aroma of this dish will not make you let down if prepared perfectly. In other words simply irresistible. 

Here is the Telugu poem I wrote about Gutti Vankaya Kura...

కాయలలో ఒక కాయ 

కూరగాయల రారాజు  వంకాయ   

వేపుడు తింటే పసందు

పచ్చడి చేస్తే దిల్ పసందు 

పులుసుగా తింటే పులకింత 

కూరగా తింటే కవ్వింత ..

ఎ కూరగా నైనను.....  

గుత్తి వంకాయ కూరే కదా 

సుగంధాల సుమధురము!

This dish may look like the medium to more complexity level when Ingredients are considered, but let’s make it simple in 3 simple step process. All we need to do is

1. Preparation of Paste

2. Stuffing the Egg Plant

3. Cooking

Serving - 4

Ingredients

Eggplants - 8-10 (Small Ones) Wash and make + sign (Don’t remove the stalk). Place the egg plants in the salted water.

For Paste

1.  Onion
2.  Cilantro ( Coriander Leaves)  - ¾ bunch
3.  Green Chili, 3-4 (Depending upon Your Spicy Level)
4.  Garlic ( 2 – 3 Cloves)
5.  Tamarind (Small piece)

     Other Basic Ingredients

1.      Oil (2-3) tablespoons

2.      Mustard Seeds ½ table Spoon

3.      Cumin Seeds/Urad ¾ table spoon.

4.      Coriander Powder

5.      Red Chili Powder (½ table spoon)

6.    Salt ( To taste)

      As told, let’s prepare it in the 3 step process. Make a coarse paste of all the ingredients above in Paste section with some salt.  The final paste looks like below.  
     

 

    
     Stuff the paste into egg plants as shown below.

      In a large Pan, add the oil. Later add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal and let them splutter. Add curry leaves. Later slowly add stuffed brinjals. Let it cook for a while in slow flame for 2 – 3 minutes closing the lid.Add very little water and cook for 2 more minutes

       

                    

      Now open the lid and add the remaining paste. Add Corriander powder and stir slowly. Let it cooked for 2 -3 minutes so that the paste is cooked along with the brinjals. Later add water depending upon the gravy required(Add salt and Red chilli powder if required). 

      Close the lid and let it cook for 20 – 25 minutes in slow flame until egg plants are completely cooked along with the gravy. Now serve the curry with Rice or Roti.          

                   

     Notes

    1. Make sure the Egg plants you have are tender ones and fresh. If not tender the above process of cooking may take more time to cook the egg plants inside. If you feel the Brinjals /Egg plants are not tender, after making the + sign in above process, fry them in the oil completely (Not more than 30 seconds).  By doing this process the above time will be reduced to half. 

      

   2. The recipe I showed is my signature style of preparation with more of greens (Green Brinjals, Coriander Leaves, Curry Leaves, Green Chilli). It may have missed some ingredients but the recipe above is the basic way of cooking  Gutti Vankaya kura.

Khas Khas Paneer Masti Recipe

Paneer is the most prepared recipe throughout India especially in restaurants and liked item in the Vegetarian menu. We have many Paneer recipes that we knew/tasted earlier, the recipe I am showing here will be similar but has different taste. This medium level of this paneer curry making  is shown simple here. 

Prep Time – 10 - 15 Mins

Cooking Time – 10 - 12 Mins

Serves – 4

Khas Khas Paneer Masti Curry

Main Ingredients

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) – 500 Grams\1 Pound

Khas Khas (Poppy Seeds)

Curry Leaves

Coconut

Other basic Ingredients

Oil (2 ½ Table Spoons)

1 Large Onion (Chopped into small cubes)

Green chillies- 3 -4

Urad Dal (1)/Mustard Seeds (1/2) /Cumin Seeds (1) (Quantity in Tea Spoon)

Turmeric Powder (½)/Red Chili Powder (½ - 1 table spoon)  

Garam Masala – ½ Table spoon (I used very little just to get the flavor)

Coriander Powder (½ Table Spoon)

Salt – to Taste
Coriander Leaves - For Garnishing

For Paste

Poppy Seeds (¼ Cup Roasted)

Coconut (¾ Cup)

Red Chilies – 2
Curry Leaves (10 Leaves)

Heat ½ table spoon oil in a pan. Roast all the above items and grind to a fine paste (Add water depending upon the Consistency)

Steps

1. Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add Mustard Seeds/Cumin Seeds/Urad Dal and sauté for 10-15 seconds. Later add green chillies and Onions and sauté (2-3 minutes) till onions turn lighter brown. 

2. Add Turmeric and Coriander powder. Later add the paneer cubes and stir carefully in simmer mode. Make sure Paneer cubes are not burnt too much.

3. Now add the whole paste prepared earlier in pan. Add Salt and Red chilli powder. Add water based on the gravy level.  Close the pan with lid and let it cook in medium mode for 3-5 minutes. Make sure to consistently mix (In order not to burnt the paste). Turn to simmer mode and cook for 3 more minutes.

4.Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with Coriander Leaves(cilantro).

You can enjoy this mouth watering spicy tendered paneer cubes with hint of Nutty/mild sweet/Aromatic (Because of Poppy Seeds, Coconut and Curry Leaves) either with Pulav, White Rice and of course Rotis too. Enjoy !