Today in the kitchen - bharleli vangi.

Bharleli (stuffed) Vangi (eggplant) is a Marathi name given to भरवां बैंगन.. the title is in Marathi and so is the preparation. I lived in Maharashtra and spent two decades before that in a society heavily influenced by Marathi culture but somehow I don't recall this apparently popular dish.. may be my memory is fading because this has turned out real tasty after I cooked it following a mixture of some recipes.

Idea came  when she came across a recipe and asked if I would want to try it.. I was more than happy to be trusted. However, I searched for a YouTube recipe that was exact identical. Hebbar's kitchen. I think if you follow the recipes verbatim as demonstrated .. ingredients, proportions, sequence, timing, flame size you can't go wrong. I think you could possibly cook anything if the recipe is explained properly and you have all ingredients and sometimes the necessary equipment. Patience is what sometimes wear out giving unsatisfactory results.

So let's start on today's dish.. BHARLELI VANGI.

Let's first collect all the ingredients at one place.. 

For filling:

1) moongfali dana/peanuts - 1/2 cup (approx 75 gms)

2) jeera/cumin seeds - 1 tsp

3) til/sesame seeds - 2 tbsp

4) dry coconut pieces - 1/4 cup (approx 25 gms)

5) turmeric - 1 tsp

6) garam masala - 1 tsp

7) mid size onion - 1 (approx 75 gms)

8) garlic cloves - 3 normal size 

9) ginger - 1" piece (approx 20 gms)tomato

For main dish:

1) mid size baingan - 8-9 ( 350-400 gms)

2) cooking oil -2 tbsp. I used olive oil but you can take whichever you use for daily cooking.

3) sarson/rai/mustard seed - 1tsp 

4) jeera/cumin seeds - 1tsp

5) tomato - 1 mid size (approx 75 gms)

6) clean drinking water - 1 cup (approx 150 ml)

7) corriander leaves - approx. 20gms for garnishing.

Following picture is showing some ingredients.

Process: 

Cut the baingan in X shape from the bottom till about 3/4th and put them in a bowl full of water.

To prepare filling:

Roast the peanuts for about 3 minutes till it's skins starts coming off, take it out of the pan and let it cool a bit and remove the skin, put it back in the pan and add 2 tbsp sesame seeds and the dry coconut pieces, roast for another 3-4 minutes and allow this mixture to cool. Once it comes to room temperature, put it in a grinder jar and add 1" ginger cut to small pieces, 3 garlic cloves,  1 tsp garam masala, 1tsp turmeric powder and grind it coarse and remove the contents in a bowl, mix the finely cut onion to this.

Now fill the baingan with the masala/filling prepared and press in gently while holding the surface tightly so that it sits in the baingan when you are stirring it while cooking.

Now put a pan to heat and add 2 tbsp oil when it gets heated add 1 tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp cumin seeds, as it starts crackling add the remaining mixture that got left over after filling also add finely cut tomato and saute for 2-3 minutes till you get the aroma of the mixture. Now add the filled baingan and cook it for 2-3 minutes mixing all the contents thoroughly. Now add  1 cup water and mix everything thoroughly again and put a lid on the pan and let it cook on medium/low flame between 10-12 minutes. Switch off the flame take out contents in a bowl and garnish the dish. (I forgot to garnish). 

This quantity will serve 3 or 4 as main curry dish. 

Enjoy the dish with roti, parantha, naan or plain rice.