भरली वांग्याची भाजी (Maharashtrian style)/ Bharle vang/ Stuffed Eggplant/ Stuffed Brinjal

My mom is the best cook!!! Yes, we all say that and we all hear that all the time (and you know from whom) 

When I came to the US first time, I started missing my mom’s cooking and started calling her every now and then for “Her only” best recipes. One of the recipe was Bharalya vangyachi bhaji or stuffed eggplant which is usually cooked in any typical Maharashtrian family. Of course later as I started cooking regularly, made few changes to her great recipe and everyone loved it. It is one of the best invented recipes and usually relished with Jawar/ Jwarichi Bhakari or Roti or Rice. So here we go.

Ingredients:

1. Small Eggplants/ Vangi/ Brinjal: 4-6 
2. Kothimbir/ coriander: 1 ½ Cup (Finely chopped) 
3. Danyache kut/ Roasted peanut powder (coarse): ½ Cup
4. Oil: 2 Tbsp (For stuffing) and 2 Tbsp (For tempering) 
5. Kanda/ Onion (Medium): ½ Finely chopped (For stuffing) and ½ medium diced (For gravy)
6. Goda Masala (Maharashtrian masala): 2 Tbsp
7. Halad/ Turmeric Powder: 1 Tbsp
8. Lal Tikhat/ Red Chili powder: 2 Tbsp (according to your taste)
9. Dhana-Jeera powder/ Coriander-cumin powder: 2 Tsp
10. Ale-Lasun paste/ Ginger-Garlic paste: 2 Tsp
11. Mohari/ Mustard seeds: 1 Tsp
12. Hing/ Asafoetida: ½ Tsp
13. Jeera/ Cumin seeds: 1 Tsp
14. Kadhipatta/ Curry leaves: Few
15. Gud/ Jaggery: a small piece (optional)
16. Salt: To taste
17. Water: As needed for the gravy

Procedure:

Stuffing:

1. Take all the masalas (except hing and mohari) in a plate, add roasted peanut powder, ginger-garlic paste, finely cut coriander, finely chopped onion and some salt to the masalas. 
2. Add some oil in this mixture. I usually prefer vegetable oil for any kind of Indian cooking, you may use your choice of oil, however, I would not suggest olive oil. Mix it well and keep it aside.

Curry:

1. Take eggplants and cut their stems. Now cut them vertically in “plus” sign. Cut them till the edges, don’t cut them through. Put cut eggplants in water so that they will not become black. Start stuffing the eggplants with above mentioned mixture. Be generous while stuffing the eggplant with this mixture, however be very careful not to break the eggplant while stuffing it.
   
   

   
2. Take a wok/ kadhai, add oil for tempering.
3. Once the oil is hot enough add mustard seeds and let them splutter well. 
4. Now add hing & curry leaves. 
5. Once tempering is done, add remaining onion dices and sauté it well. Now add remaining masala mixture (stuffing mixture) and sauté it well. 
6. Put stuffed eggplants to the kadhai and add little water, stir well and put a lid on it. 
7. Let it cook for 3-4 min, stir in between. 
8. Once you see the masalas have started to leave oil, add more water to make a nice gravy and put the lid back and cook it for about 7-10min (keep stirring carefully in between). 
9. At this time you may add a little gud in the gravy (my family does not like the jaggery flavor so I never add it but the authentic recipe calls for it). 
10. Check the eggplants by piercing a little with the help of a fork. If the fork goes in easily, that means the gravy or bhaaji is ready. 
11. You may also tell if it is ready or no, just by looking at it since the eggplants change its color to brownish or little dark from the original color.

Serve it hot, preferably with Jawar bhakari but it tastes good with poli/roti/chapati or white rice too.

Note:
This recipe calls for a lot of coriander so please take the exact amount as suggested in the recipe. You may alternate goda masala with garam masala but the taste will be little different (however good for sure, so don't worry)

Don’t forget to enjoy this yummy & authentic Maharashtrian meal item. Happy Cooking!!!! 

Please leave your comments and suggestions about this recipe on my blog page. We welcome your feedback :)

Please like my FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/kirtiskitchenkatta/