Quick Eggplant Rice

I was stuck with some important work and could not blog actively. I am toooo happy to be back blogging. Today, we made a quick eggplant rice and it was yummmm!!!!

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 3 cups

Eggplant - 1 cup, diced

Onion - 1 medium, diced

Thick Tamarind Pulp - 3 tbsp

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Chana Dal - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 2tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Grind To Powder:

Dry Shredded Coconut - 1 tbsp

Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cloves - 12

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds, after they splutter add chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds. Fry for a minute. Add chopped onions, fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.

2. Add turmeric powder, chopped eggplant and stir. Cook covered for 3-4 minutes. Stir in between.

3. Add the ground powder and tamarind pulp, salt, mix well. Cook covered for 2 minutes on medium to low heat.

4. After oil starts oozing out, add the cooked rice and mix well so that all the rice gets an even coating of the eggplant mixture.

5. Cook on low heat for 2 more minutes, stirring in between.

6. Enjoy the quick eggplant rice hot.

Vankaya Pullagura (Eggplant Curry)

Pullagura, a telugu word, whose literal translation is 'Tangy Curry', is used in the local dialect in Rayalseema region, Andhra Pradesh. My native district mostly comprises of farmers, who used to work in the farms and grow groundnut/peanuts, sunflower, castor seeds, etc. Since the whole family used to work in the farms, they hardly had time to cook. So, pullagura was a savior for them. They could put all the ingredients for the curry in a pot and boil till they were cooked, then they would use a wooden masher, known as 'pappu gutthi' or 'pappu katti' to slightly mash the curry and finally would add the tempering. These days, hardly anyone is working in the farms, but pullagura is a dish enjoyed by one and all. Pullagura works as an excellent accompaniment with steamed rice or rotis or ragi sangati/sankati or sadda rotte.

Ingredients:
Eggplants/Brinjal - 6, medium sized, quartered
Onion - 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Tomatoes - 2, medium sized, roughly chopped
Green Chillies - 10, roughly chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves
Turmeric powder - a large pinch
Tamarind - small lemon sized ball

Salt - As per taste

For the Tempering:
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal/bengal gram - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 1 tsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Add the quartered eggplants, chopped tomatoes, onion, green chillies, turmeric powder, tamarind to a pressure cooker along with 2-3 cups of water and cook for 2-3 whistles or just until the vegetables get cooked.
2. Add the salt, slightly mash the boiled ingredients using a masher or the back of a spatula.
3. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, after they splutter, add cumin seeds, bengal gram and curry leaves, fry for 45 seconds and turn off the heat.
4. Add the tempering to the pressure cooker and let the curry simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. Enjoy the vankaya pullagura with steamed rice or rotis.

Sending this recipe to my own event 'Celebrating Regional Cuisine'

Quick Eggplant Stir Fry

Nothing fancy to write about this recipe :). Made this quick eggplant stir fry last week, when I was rushing to get things done.

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1, large, diced

Tomato - 1, large, finely chopped

Onion - 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Curry Powder - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As per taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After they start spluttering, add chopped onions and fry till they become transparent.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till they become soft. Add the diced eggplant, fry and cook covered for 5 minutes.
3. Add salt, curry powder, chilli powder and mix well. Cook covered till the eggplant is cooked.
4. Serve the quick eggplant stir fry with steamed rice or rotis.

Kothimeera Mirchi Vankaya (Cilantro Eggplant)

This is another recipe which is very easy to prepare and absolutely amazing in taste. The credits for this wonderful recipe goto my aunt, Indu :). Kothimeera mirchi vankaya or cilantro eggplant is a 6 ingredient dish that goes well with rice and roti as well.

Ingredients:
Brinjal/Eggplants(Preferably Indian eggplant) - 4, medium sized, chopped length wise
Potato - 2, medium sized, diced
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Grind to Paste:
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - a small bunch
Green chillies - 3(Adjust according to spice levels)

Method of Preparation:
1. In a non stick vessel, heat oil and add the diced potatoes. Fry on high heat for 3-4 minutes and add the chopped eggplant/brinjal.
2. Cook covered till the potato and eggplant are 3/4 th cooked. Cook covered, stirring in between.
3. Add the ground cilantro/coriander leaves and green chillies paste and salt. Mix well. Cover the lid and cook on low medium heat till the vegetables are completely cooked through.(Add a little water if required)
4. Serve the kothimeera mirchi vankaya or the cilantro eggplant with hot rice or rotis.

Sending this recipe to 'Anyone can cook - 2' being hosted by Ayeesha and

Ginger Brinjal Aloo(Allam Vankaya)

Thanks to my aunt, Indu, I got this wonderful recipe. When she told me that it needed only 6 ingredients in total, I was thinking whether it would really taste good, but when I made it today, we finished the whole bowl of ginger brinjal aloo(allam vankaya). This recipe works very well with Indian Eggplant/brinjals.

Ingredients:
Indian Eggplant/Brinjal - 4, medium sized, sliced length wise
Potato - 2, medium sized, diced
Ginger Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp (I used a big chunk of ginger and 6 green chillies and ground them to paste)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:
1. In a vessel, preferably non stick, heat oil and add the diced potatoes.
2. Mix well and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the chopped brinjal/eggplant, mix well and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook till the vegetables are 3/4th done.
5. Add salt, ginger green chilli paste and mix well.
6. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook till the vegetables are completely cooked through. Stir in between. (Add a little water, if needed)
7. Serve the ginger brinjal aloo/allam vankaya with rotis or hot rice.

Sending this recipe to 'Anyone can cook - 2' being hosted by Ayeesha

Vankaya Bendakaya Pullagura(Eggplant Okra Curry)

'Pullagura' is a telugu word, mostly used in Rayalseema dialect in Andhra Pradesh and the literal translation of the word is - 'Tangy Curry'. There are various different pullagura recipes and today's recipe uses okra/ladies fingers and eggplant/brinjal. This is one of my mother's all time favorite dishes.

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 4 medium sized, washed and roughly chopped
Ladies fingers/okra - 10 medium sized, washed and cut into medium sized pieces
Onion - 1 small sized, roughly chopped
Tomato - 1 large sized, roughly chopped
Green Chillies - 8-10, roughly chopped(adjust according to spice levels)
Garlic - 2 large cloves
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - a small lemon size
Salt - As Per Taste
Chopped Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp(optional)

For the Tempering:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds -1/4 tsp
Urad Dal/Bengal Gram - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 6

Method of Preparation:
1. In a pressure cooker add the chopped eggplant, okra, onions, tomatoes, chillies, turmeric powder, whole garlic cloves, tamarind and salt. Add 2 cups of water
2. Pressure cook till the veggies become soft.
3. Using a masher, mash the contents in the pressure cooker. Adjust salt.
4. In a small pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and bengal gram, once the seeds start spluttering add the curry leaves and mix well, after 30 seconds, take off heat and add it to the pressure cooker.
4. Mix well, add the chopped cilantro and let the curry simmer on low fire for few minutes.
5. Serve the vankaya bendakaya pullagura(Eggplant Okra curry) with hot rice and a dollop of ghee(clarified butter) or with rotis.
                               Sending this recipe to Divya's 'Show Me Your Curry'

Garlicky Grilled Eggplant/Brinjal Curry

This is a very simple recipe for dishing out a yummy eggplant curry. The best part of this recipe is that, you can even grill/broil the eggplant beforehand, scoop out the flesh and store in refrigerator, so that you can cut down on the preparation time, when running short on time. As was the case with me today. We got up late and my better half was getting late for office, so I used the already scooped out flesh of the eggplant and cooked the curry in less than 15 minutes. Roti and garlicky grilled eggplant curry is today's lunch for my dear better half.

Ingredients:
Large Eggplant - 1
Garlic - 4 large cloves, roughly crushed
Onion - 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Tomato - 1, medium sized, roughly chopped
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder/Paprika - 1 tsp
Roasted Peanut Powder - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Chopped Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - 1 tbsp
Oil - 11/2 tbsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Wash the eggplant, pat dry with a towel and apply a little oil on the surface of the eggplant.
2. You can grill the eggplant on a stove top or on a grill or even in a broiler. I used broiler, however my eggplant was too big to fit under the broiler so I sliced the eggplant in half and put the two halves on a foil lined baking tray, with the surface(skin) of eggplant facing the broiler.
3. Broil/Grill the eggplant for 10-15 min or till the inside flesh becomes soft and the skin of the eggplant comes of easily.
4. Scoop out the flesh from the eggplant when it cools down and discard the skin.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the chopped onions.
6. Fry till the onions turns transparent and add the crushed garlic cloves, fry for a minute before adding the chopped tomatoes.
7. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes become soft. Add the scooped out eggplant flesh to the pan and mix well.
8. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix well.
9. Let the mixture cook for 3-4 minutes
10. Add salt and roasted peanut powder mix well, fry for a minute, add the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves and take off the heat.
11. Enjoy the garlicky grilled eggplant curry with rotis or rice.