Vankaya Kothimeera Karam | Brinjal Recipes

I have posted various Stuffed Brinjal recipes in my blog and all were a huge hit among my readers. I just love Brinjals and I somehow can't stop myself buying those tiny purple brinjals when I see them.My first preference would be either Bagara Baingan or any stuffed variety of brinjal like Vankaya Kobbari Karam,Vanakaya Ullipaya Karam,Gutti Vankaya(will post it some time later) or Vankaya Kothimeera Karam.

Today I am posting another famous Andhra recipe with Brinjals,one can either stuff them with the aromatic coriander stuffing or it can be prepared like a curry by cutting the brinjals into pieces.This is a very simple yet delicious and aromatic curry as it is loaded with lots of coriander.It pairs well with rice and even roti/chapati.If you have not tried this before do give a try,I am sure you will definitely like this.

 

Vankaya Kothimeera Karam | Aromatic Brinjal Coriander Curry Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

250 gms small Brinjals

2 cups loosely packed Coriander leaves

2 tbsp freshly grated Coconut

5-6 Green chillies

1/2" Ginger

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Tamarind pulp

a sprig of Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Cut each brinjal into 4 pieces and if you are using big brinjals cut them into 1" or 2" pieces.Drop them in a salted water for 10 mins,this way it will remove the bitterness if any in the brinjals.
• Grind coriander leaves with grated coconut,cumin seeds,green chillies,salt and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste.
• You can follow any of the two methods which I mention below to make these stuffed eggplants.
• option-1: Heat oil in a small cooker and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and add brinjal pieces and fry for 2 mins and add a generous pinch of salt on the eggplants.Add ground coriander paste and give a stir and fry for 2-3 mins and cover it with lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium-high flame.Let the pressure drops off on its own.Open the cooker and check if any water is residing,if there is any water content switch on the stove and cook for 2 minutes on high flame with the lid open until water evaporates.
• option-2:Heat oil in a wide kadai and crackle mustard seeds and add curry leaves and add brinjal pieces and fry for 2 minutes.Add a generous pinch of salt on the eggplants and give a stir  and add ground coriander paste and fry for 3-4 mins.Cover it with a deep lid and pour water and in the lid and let the eggplants cook with the steam produced in this manner over low flame.It takes roughly 12-15 mins.Keep checking in between and also stir once in a while.If the water evaporates in the lid add some more water to it,otherwise the eggplants will get burnt.

Serve them hot with hot rice,ghee and papad.You can serve it as a side dish for rasam,sambar and dal rice.It also pairs well with Roti/Chapati.

Notes:

1. You can stuff the same mixture in baby eggplants and follow the same process.
2. Adjust the spiciness according to your requirements. 
3. You can even add a tbsp of fried gram while grinding the masala.