Badanekayi Ennegayi (stuffed eggplant) step-by-step recipe with photos.
About this recipe
Ennegayi and jolada rotti (stuffed eggplant curry and sorghum flatbread) – the signature dish of the northern region of Karnataka. In fact, ennegayi is a staple of most households in north Karnataka. In this dish, the eggplants are slit opened and stuffed with a freshly roasted spice mix. It is also called thumbgayi which loosely translates to a vegetable that has been filled with something (that is, the spice mix). Round purple beauties stuffed with aromatic spices and shallow fried until tender and simmered in a delicious gravy. This dish takes me back to my childhood - the only eggplant dish I loved as a child.
Round purple eggplant is the hero of this dish. The spice mix varies slightly in every household. Here is my version of badanekayi ennegayi. For me, this dish is delicious is an understatement. Make it to believe it!
Click here for more eggplant recipes where eggplant is the main ingredient.
Badanekayi Ennegayi step by step instructions
1. Fry spices in oil until aromatic.
2. Stuff the spice mix into the eggplant.
3. Fry onion until golden.
4. Add stuffed eggplant into it.
5. Add remaining stuffing, water, and cook.
Recipe card
Badanekayi Ennegayi
Ingredients
- 7-8 purple eggplant small, round ones. These are also called Thai eggplant
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 small piece tamarind
- 7-8 curry leaves
- ½ tablespoon jaggery
- 4-5 tablespoon oil
- Salt to taste
- A generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
- A few coriander leaves for garnish
FOR THE SPICE STUFFING:
- ¼ cup coconut grated
- ¼ cup peanut roasted
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon split Bengal gram (chana dal)
- 1 tablespoon split black gram (urad dal)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2-3 cardamom
- 2-3 cloves
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 6-7 dry red chill or as per taste
- 1 teaspoon oil
Instructions
- Make two slits on the eggplant taking care not to cut them apart (the slits should form a ‘+’ sign). Keep the stem intact
- Soak the eggplants in salted water for 20 minutes
- Soak the tamarind in ½ cup water for 15-20 minutes. Extract the water and discard any remaining pulp. Set aside
- In a frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Fry the stuffing ingredients except for coconut and peanuts until aromatic
- Cool completely and mix coconut and peanuts. Grind it into a smooth paste using some water
- Remove the eggplant from water and pat dry using a kitchen towel. Stuff the spice mix into the slits
- Heat a heavy bottom pan and add oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter
- Add curry leaves, asafoetida and fry for a few seconds
- Add the onion and fry until golden
- Place the eggplant carefully in the frying pan. Add any remaining stuffing, tamarind water, salt, and jaggery
- Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until the eggplant are completely done
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve
Notes
- You may replace tamarind with 2 teaspoon tamarind paste
- You may use desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut. In this case, roast the coconut as well along with other spices
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