Mixed Vegetable Eggplant curry

Eggplant curry Recipe - Brinjal curry with step by step written instructions.This brinjal curry is made in the state of Maharashtra and in the northern part of Karnataka. If you like eggplant and wonder 'how to cook eggplant' in a different way, this recipe is your answer. If you like a curry with lots of gravy, this curry recipe is for you.

Eggplant is also called brinjal. In other Indian languages it is vangi(Marathi), Badnekai (Kannada), baingan (Hindi) etc. And this recipe is 'vangyachi rasbhaji' in Marathi.

You can also add other vegetables such as green peas, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot etc. to this curry recipe according to what is available in the fridge and your preferences.

You can use any kind of eggplants for this recipe, purple, green, long,round etc.

How to cook Eggplant curry:

Main ingredients for vegetable eggplant curry

Eggplant brinjal

Onions - Pyaj - Kanda

potatoes - Aloo - Batata

Ingredients for vegetable brinjal curry to serve 4-5

Eggplants (Brinjals) - 2 cut in big pieces.
Potatoes - 2 cups cubed
Onions - 2 cups cubed
Water - 1 cup or more
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp or more
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Ingredients for tempering

Curry leaves / kadhi patta - 7-8
Mustard seeds / rai - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds / jeera - 1/2 tsp
Asafetida / hing - a pinch
Turmeric / haldi powder -1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Optional ingredients

Other vegetables such as green peas, cabbage, carrots - 1 tbsp each
Tomato - 1/2 cup chopped
Grated fresh coconut - 1 tbsp
Powdered roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods, chopped fine or 1/2 tsp garlic paste

Cooking eggplant curry:

Heat oil, add mustard, cumin seeds.
When they stop crackling , add asafetida, curry leaves, turmeric powder.
Add onions. Fry for a minute.
Add potatoes and other vegetables (if adding any) , fry again. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add brinjals. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low fire.
Add spices and everything else including water. Stir.
Cover and cook for 10 min or till eggplant is cooked soft but not mushy, on low fire.
Check for the thickness of the gravy. Add more water if needed.

Serve hot with chapati , Paratha , Phulka , Roti or Plain rice. This will keep in fridge for 2-3 days. Heat and serve when you want.

About Peanut Powder :

The Maharashtrian recipes use more peanuts(also called groundnut or singdana/ shengdana). Peanuts are roasted well, cooled and ground to coarse powder.

Go to how to roast and powder peanuts

This powder can keep for a month or more. This peanut powder is used in many salads, curries and vegetable preparations.

It is used instead of fresh coconut or along with it. It adds a distinct flavor to the dish. Enjoy