Gutti vankaya kura, stuffed brinjal curry, is one of the most loved vegetarian dishes of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and a fixture of wedding and festival menus. Gutti means whole or stuffed, and vankaya means brinjal. Small, tender purple brinjals are slit into quarters while still attached at the stem and filled with a roasted spice powder.
There are many regional versions; this one uses roasted peanuts, sesame, coriander and dry coconut with a little tamarind and jaggery. The brinjals cook slowly in oil until silky, and the stuffing forms a thick, nutty, spicy coating. It is semi-dry and rich, eaten with rice or chapati. Many Telugu cooks say a festival lunch is incomplete without it.
At a glance
| Region | Andhra Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Andhra |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 55 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | brinjal / peanuts / sesame seeds / dry coconut / onion |
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1.5 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp grated jaggery
- 1 tsp salt
For the curry
- 8-10 small round purple brinjals (about 400 g)
- 4 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
- Dry roast the peanuts on medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden, then roast sesame until it pops, then coconut, coriander and cumin for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Cool.
- Grind the roasted ingredients with garlic, onion, chilli powder, turmeric, tamarind, jaggery and salt to a coarse, thick paste, adding only a spoon or two of water.
- Wash the brinjals and make two deep cross slits from the bottom, leaving the stem end intact so each brinjal holds together. Keep in salted water while you work, then drain.
- Stuff each brinjal generously with the paste, pressing it into the slits. Keep the leftover paste.
- Heat oil in a wide, heavy pan. Splutter mustard and cumin seeds and add curry leaves.
- Arrange the brinjals in a single layer. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes, turning them gently every few minutes, until they start to soften and brown on all sides.
- Mix the leftover paste with 1/2 cup water and pour it around the brinjals. Cover and cook on low heat for another 10-12 minutes until the brinjals are completely soft and the masala thickens and leaves oil at the edges.
- Garnish with coriander and serve.
Tips
- Use small, tender brinjals with shiny skin; older ones are seedy and bitter.
- Turn the brinjals gently with a spoon or by shaking the pan so they do not break.
- Groundnut oil gives the most authentic Andhra flavour.
Serve with
Hot rice with ghee, chapati or jowar rotti.