VANKAYA PACHADI...

there was an article in the local newspaper in nellore recently which showed that brinjal is a veggie that is very frequently cooked in majority of the houses and that to at least twice or thrice in a week in and around nellore district. brinjal is that favorite to people in andhra... so there are as many dishes as we can prepare using brinjal and here is one pachadi variety that my mom prepared after years and i tasted it for the very first time and loved it... trust me it's a treat to all brinjal lovers... hope you like it... :-)

PREP TIME: 15 MINS, COOKING TIME: 5 MINS.

INGREDIENTS:

EGGPLANT (BRINJAL)	1
RED CHILI’S	6
CORIANDER SEEDS	½ TSP
CUMIN SEEDS (JEERA)	½ TSP
ONION	1 SMALL
GARLIC CLOVES	8 – 10
TAMARIND PASTE	½ TSP.
SALT	TO TASTE

METHOD:

 Ø  Apply oil to the eggplant and cook it on direct flame until the outer part turns black and the eggplant shrinks as shown in the pic below. Allow it to cool.

 

 Ø  Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai, add red chili’s and fry them. Now add coriander seeds, cumin seeds roast them, turn of the gas and allow it to cool.

 Ø  Chop the cooked egg plant, grind red chili’s, eggplant, tamarind paste together finely. Now add roughly chopped onions and garlic cloves and grind them roughly on speed one for a second.

 

 Ø  Heat oil in a thick bottom vessel, temper mustard seeds, Bengal gram, black gram and curry leaves. Add the grounded brinjal paste to the tempering, stir it and off the gas.

Serve it with hot rice and ghee…

SUGGESTIONS:

 ü  You can peel of the eggplant skin if desired. I have added it but many prefer to peel of the skin.

 ü  You can also add a pinch of hing (asafoetida) to the tempering if desired.

 ü  This can be stored in the fridge  for 3 – 4 days.