Preparation:

• Clean brinjals and pat them dry.
• Fine chop onion. Shallots give a better taste and if you have them chop finely.
• Make three to four slits in brinjals from the top and keep them immersed in water. Do not cut off the stem.
• If you do not have roasted groundnuts (peanuts) you can dry roast them until brown and crisp. Keep it ready.
• Soak tamarind (2 gooseberry sizes) in two cups. Extract tamarind water from one cup and keep one as soaked.

Recipe:

How to make the gutti vankaya kura masala:

• Dry roast coriander seeds and cinnamon sticks.
• Add red chillies and whole peppercorns. Put dry coconut (gobara) pieces and some curry leaves for flavor.
• Roast these until peppercorns pop one by one and coconut becomes flavorful.
• Add sesame seeds and cumin seeds, fry again for few minutes.
• Now add the dry roasted peanuts and
• Switch off and let this cool down for a while.
• While grinding add soaked tamarind and salt for the masala.
• Add required water and grind into a soft masala paste.
• Stuff this masala paste into the slits of the brinjals

How to make Gutti vankaya curry:

• In another broad pan, heat sesame oil (gingelly oil).
• Temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
• Add some fenugreek(methi) seeds.
• Put chopped onions and saute well until translucent.
• Put some curry leaves and garlic. I like to add garlic in all kind of tamarind based gravies hence it is optional.
• Similarly, I added a chopped tomato which usually in kura recipes is not added.
• Now add the stuffed brinjals carefully, reduce the heat to medium and keep the pan covered.
• Let the brinjals get sauteed in oil and masala for around 4 mins.
• Open the lid in-between to stir and flip the sides.
• Make sure all the sides of the brinjals get evenly roasted effect. Keep in mind that the masala stuffed brinjals may take little more time to get roasted. Don't get tempted to add water. Roasting in the oil gives the desired taste to the gutti vankaya gravy.
• When you are sure that the brinjals are cooked well, add half a cup of tamarind water. Remember that we already added a piece of soaked tamarind while grinding the kura stuff masala.
• Add turmeric powder and the required salt for the gravy. Similar to the above step here too keep in mind that we have put salt in the stuffing masala separately. Hence use salt only required for the gravy.
• Now add the remaining ground kura masala paste with some water to adjust the consistency.
• Cover with the lid, keep the heat in medium-high and cook for five to seven minutes approximately.
• Cook until the oil from the masala separates on the top layer of the gutty venkaya kura.
• Switch off and serve this with hot rice and roasted papad on the side.