Ennegayi - Method 2

I am thrilled to share this easy ennegayi recipe I found online. 

Why? This recipe is relatively easy and can be made on a daily basis.. Less oil will also work, although more will always taste better. This recipe is probably close to the original, as it is given by an uttara kannadati. 

I have already shared another ennegayi recipe. Do check it out here. 

In this recipe, eggplants are fried lightly before stuffing. This one step makes making ennegayi so much more easy. Firstly, eggplants are not stiff to fill. You can easily bend them anyway and stuff as much as you want. Secondly, because they are already almost cooked, cooking time is reduced drastically and the chances of masala getting burnt are less, which makes me, a regular masala burn-er, so happy! All in all a keeper of a recipe. 

Do try! 

Ingredients

Small round brinjal/eggplant - 24

Onion - 1/2 - can be skipped

Water for the gravy

Salt

For the filling

Groundnut/kadlekayi beeja - 3 handful/mushti - dry roast, cool and coarsely powder 

Red chili powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala - 2 tsp

Turmeric 

Tamarind paste - Hunse hannu paste - 7 tsp

Water - very less - just to bring everything together - too pasty will make it difficult to stuff

Jaggery/bella - 1-2 tsp - according to taste

Tadka/Oggarane 

Mustard seeds/Saasive 

Black sesame seeds/ ellu(not in original)

Curry leaves

Method

In a pan dry roast groundnuts/peanuts and let it cool. Meanwhile wash small eggplants and slit them in cross. In a pan add some oil and roast these eggplants till they are almost soft. Not too soft. 

Once the peanuts are cooled down, dry grind them to a coarse powder. Take this out in a plate, add red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, jaggery, salt. Add tamarind paste and mix to a thick paste. Add very little water. Too much water will make it difficult to stuff. Stuff the eggplants.

In the same pan you sautéed eggplants, add more oil. Add mustard seeds, once it splatters add curry leaves and onion. Sauté till translucent. Add the stuffed eggplants + half a cup of water. 

Cover and cook in medium flame, till eggplants are done and the gravy oozes out oil(this happens only when you add more oil. If less oil is added, cook till the gravy comes together). 

Enjoy with some chapathi/rice. 

Recipe Source - “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRVlY9OGE6g”

Notes - 

• I also added some Bell pepper/Donne mensu - not in the original
• The above quantity of masala was good for 24 eggplants.
• You can make groundnut powder before hand and store it in an airtight container. That’ll make this curry even more easy to prepare.