Saturday, July 1, 2017

BADANEKAYI YENNEGAYI

BADANEKAYI YENNEGAYI

Badanekayi is what we call brinjal or eggplant in Kannada. You might be interested to know that brinjals have many health benefits . They are used in a wide variety of dishes in Indian vegetarian cuisine. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for brinjal dishes from various states like Hyderabadi Bhagara Baingan, Barli Vaangi, and Vaingana Puddi Sagle.

Today's recipe is for a dish very famous in North Karnataka. The name "Yennegayi" comes from two Kannada words, "Kayi" or vegetables cooked in "Yenne"  or oil. It goes best served as an accompaniment with akki rotis, jowar rotis etc. I am thankful to Girija Hosakote Ramiah for sharing her recipe.



Ingredients:
  • Small sized Purple Brinjals, 8 
  • Tamarind Extract  1/4 cup 
  • Large sized Onion, finely chopped, 1
  • Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
  • Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
  • Curry Leaves, a sprig
  • Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp
  • Salt,  to taste
  • Oil, 2 tbsp
  • Water, about 2 small cups
For the masala filling:
  • Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
  • Byadgi Red Chillies, 8
  • Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tbsp
  • Groundnuts, 1/4 cup
  • White Sesame Seeds, 1 tbsp
  • Copra or Dry Grated Coconut, 1/2 cup
  • Small sized Onion, roughly chopped, 1
  • Garlic, de-skinned, 3-4 cloves
  • Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
  • Salt, to taste
Method:

Wash and pat dry the brinjals, make two length-wise slits in the brinjals retaining the stalk
Prepare the tamarind extract by soaking half of a lemon sized ball of tamarind in warm water
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan. Dry roast the coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds, groundnuts, and white sesame seeds separately one by one and keep aside
Also dry roast the copra for about 10 seconds and keep aside
In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil and saute the roughly chopped onion and garlic till the raw smell goes 
Grind them along with the dry roasted ingredients using very little water
Mix salt and turmeric to the ground filling
Stuff about half of this masala filling inside the slits of each of the brinjals so that they are nicely covered





Keep aside the remaining masala filling to be used for the gravy

Heat remaining oil in the pan
Add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds
Add finely chopped onions and saute for about two minutes until they turn light brown 
Now add the stuffed brinjals one by one in the pan
Gently turn them around until they are fully coated with the onion oil mix
Lower the flame and cook covered for about 5-6 minutes till the brinjals change colour and soften but make sure they are not overcooked 
Add chilli powder, tamarind extract, the remaining masala filling,  salt, jaggery, and water
Cover the pan once again and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat
The brinjals would have been completely cooked and the masala would have oozed out 
Check for the required consistency
It should be on the thicker side
Serve hot as an accompaniment for jowar roti, akki roti etc.


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