An exotic Andhra-style rich celebration dish with smooth, warm and rich flavors. No onions or tomatoes go into its making, the main player being poppy seeds which lend the dish its body and a subtle sweet flavor. As you bite into the eggplant, you can savor layers of roasted sweet, tangy and savory flavors. A memorable vegetarian delight that will completely floor you.
Vankaya Gasagasala Kura Recipe
Prep & Cooking: 45-50 mts
Serves: 4-5
Cuisine: Andhra
.
1/4 kg purple brinjals, wash and slice
1 1/2 tbsps oil (you can add another 1/2 tbsp if required)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
pinch of roasted methi/fenugreek/menthi pwd
pinch of roasted cumin pwd
3 tbsps khus khus/gasagasalu/poppy seeds, roasted and ground to a paste
1 1/2 tbsps jaggery or sugar (adjust)
very small lemon sized tamarind, extract pulp
salt to taste
1 Add a tbsp of oil in a cooking vessel, add the eggplant slices and roast them till brown on both sides. Remove and keep aside.
2 In the same vessel, add the remaining oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds and as they dance around, add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2-3 mts.
3 Add salt to taste, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, roasted methi pwd and combine well. Add 1 3/4 cups of water and cook for 3-4 mts, till it comes to a boil. Add the roasted khus khus paste, tamarind extract and jaggery and cook on medium high flame for 3 mts.
4 Cover with lid and cook on medium low flame for 5 mts. Keep checking in between and stir fry to ensure it does not stick to the pan. Add the roasted brinjal slices and cook on low to medium flame till the gravy turns thick. It could take approx 25 to 40 mts to turn into a thick gravy. Turn off heat.
5 Serve with rice or roti.
