Bharli Vangi
Recipe: Bharli Vangi
Bharli Vangi is Maharashtrian Style stuffed brinjals. This delicious dish is made by stuffing small brinjals with coconut, spices and roasted peanuts. Generally enjoyed with roti, paratha, bhakri or rice. This curry can be a bit dryish or with some gravy. I opted to make the dryish version. In Marathi vangi is brinjals or eggplants. Bharli means stuffed.
Sharing Bharli Vangi With Shhh Cooking Secretly Group
July theme was Stuffed Vegetables hosted by Seema. Though a bit time consuming, stuffed vegetables can be the star of any meal. I toyed with stuffing bell peppers, jalapeño, tomatoes but finally eggplants or brinjals won as we love them stuffed.
You May Like These Stuffed Vegetable Recipes
Ingredients Required For Bharli Vangi
Small Brinjals
Use small brinjals or eggplants for this dish. Trim the stems off a bit and leave some. Peel off calyx (green part). Leaving the stem enables the stuffing to stay in the eggplant as when it gets cooked it becomes soft. Cut the brinjals from the bottom side in a cross manner ¾ of the way.Keep the cut brinjals in salted water till the stuffing is ready.
Peanuts
We need roasted peanuts for the stuffing. Toast the peanuts in a wide pan over low heat till the skin of the peanuts splits. Transfer the peanuts to a plate and allow them to cool down. Rub the peanuts to remove the skin or you can leave it. We need to process the peanuts to a coarse powder.
Onion
For this recipe I prefer to use red onion. Peel and chop the onion finely. We need about 1 cup of chopped onion.
Fresh Coconut
We need fresh grated coconut. You can use frozen coconut. Nowadays ready fresh grated coconut is easily available in most stores in India. Or you can opt to grate the coconut at home.
Sesame Seeds
Toast the seeds lightly in a pan over low heat.
Jaggery
Can use jaggery lump or powder. I have used the powder.
Goda Masala
Use ready made or homemade Goda Masala. Goda Masala is easily in most Indian Stores or online. It is a popular Maharashtrian spice mixture.
Red Chilli Powder
Add according to your taste.
Turmeric Powder
Hardar, haldi. To add to the stuffing.
Tamarind Sauce
I usually have thick tamarind sauce ready in my freezer. To make tamarind sauce at home, add enough water to the tamarind. Bring it to a boil and then allow it to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Most of the pulp will fall away from the fiber. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing it down with a spoon. You will be left with the seeds and fiber. Store the pulp in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze in an ice cube tray. Put the frozen tamarind cubes in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Usually one cube is about 1-2 tbsp of the pulp, depending on the size of the ice cube tray.
Garlic
Peel and finely chop or mince the garlic.
Salt
Add some to the stuffing. Add according to your taste. Extra 1 tsp salt is required for soaking the brinjals.
Oil
Use any oil of your choice. I have used sunflower oil.
Cumin Seeds
Jeera, jiru. Need some for the tempering or vaghar.
Mustard Seeds
Rai, sarson ke dane. Need some for the tempering or vaghar.
Fenugreek Seeds
Methi ke dane. Need some for the tempering or vaghar.
Asafoetida
Also known as hing. We will be adding some for umami flavour. If you want a gluten free bharli vangi then don’t add hing as the powder usually contains some wheat flour.
Water
Need to add some for the gravy. Add more for more gravy. I didn’t add too much as we wanted a dryish curry or sabji.
Fresh Coriander
We need some finely chopped coriander for the stuffing and for garnishing. If the stems are tender, chop them finely as they are full of flavour.
BHARLI VANGI | STUFFED BRINJAL MAHARASHTRIAN STYLE
Ingredients
FOR THE BHARLI VANGI
- 8-9 baby brinjals
- 2 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1-1½ cup water
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
FOR THE STUFFING
- 1-2 tbsp oil
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- ½ cup fresh coconut grated
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp jaggery powder
- 1 tbsp Goda Masala
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup fresh coriander finely chopped
Instructions
PREPARE THE BRINJALS
- Wash the brinjals.
- Add enough water in a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and mix well.
- Cut the stems half way. Don't cut it too close to the clays or the green part.
- Peel the calyx away from the brinjals.
- From the bottom part cut slits in a cross, ¾ of the way. Don't cut till the stem part.
- Soak the brinjals in the salted water for 15 minutes.
- This will make it easier to open up the slitted parts without the brinjal breaking.
PREPARE THE STUFFING
- Heat a wide pan over low heat.
- Add the sesame seeds and toast them till they become golden brown and begin to pop. Be careful not to burn the seeds. Keeping stirring them all the time.
- Transfer the seeds to a plate and allow them to cool.
- Put the pan on low heat again.
- Add the peanuts and toast till the skin begins to split and they appear light brown in colour.
- Transfer the toasted peanuts to a plate and allow them to cool.
- Heat 1- 2 tbsp oil in the same wide pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and stir fry till it becomes soft. Don't over cook the onion.
- Allow the stir fried onion to cool a bit in the pan.
- Add the peanuts to a food processor.
- Process the toasted peanuts into a coarse powder.
- Transfer them to a mixing bowl.
- Process the grated coconut in a food processor to a finer texture.
- Add it to the mixing bowl.
- Add the toasted sesame seeds, cooked onion, garlic, jaggery powder, Goda masala, red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, tamarind paste, salt and chopped fresh coriander.
- Mix the stuffing well.
STUFF THE BRINJALS
- Remove the brinjals from the water. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- It will now be easier to check the slitted area. Check for any worms.Discard the brinjal if there are any.
- Take a bit of the stuffing in your hand. Stuff the slits with the stuffing, pushing it down gently.
- Repeat the process with all the brinjals.
COOK THE STUFFED BRINJALS
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in the wide pan over medium heat.
- Add fenugreek seeds. As they begin to turn dark brown, add the mustard and cumin seeds.
- When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the asafoetida and turmeric powder.
- Immediately arrange the stuffed brinjals in the pan in a single layer.
- Pour in the water.
- Sprinkle the remaining stuffing over the brinjals.
- Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat.
- Allow the brinjals to cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Open the lid. Gently turn the brinjals over.
- Cover with the lid and allow the brinjals to cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Check if the brinjals are getting soft by inserting a knife through them.
- Allow the curry to simmer for 5 minutes without the lid. At this point you can add more water for the gravy.
- Garnish with some chopped fresh coriander and serve.
- Enjoy bharli vangi with some roti, paratha, naan, bhakri, rice.
Notes
- Soaking the brinjals in salted water helps to open up the slitted parts and makes it easier to fill the stuffing.
- Choose brinjals that are slightly firm but yield slightly on pressing. Don't buy ones with wrinkled skin, soft spots, etc
- Add more water for more gravy.
- Make sure you toast or roast the peanuts and sesame seeds for full flavour.
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If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
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6 Comments
Seema
August 10, 2025 at 5:01 pm
This bharli vangi with coconut, peanut and goda masala is so addictive. Loved the recipe.
mayurisjikoni
August 11, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Thank you so much Seema.
Archana
August 15, 2025 at 8:28 am
One of the most addictive bhajis is Bharli Vangi—absolutely the best way to eat brinjal. I do not add fenugreek seeds, but will try this time.
mayurisjikoni
August 19, 2025 at 6:52 pm
Thanks Archana. Fenugreek seeds is my addition.. love the combined flavour of baingan and methi.
Preethi
August 17, 2025 at 6:44 am
This Bharli vangi stole the show for lunch today. It is so flavourful and addictive . My family just loved it. This will be a regular affair at my place from now on . Peanut, Goda masala , and coconut is a match made in heaven .
mayurisjikoni
August 19, 2025 at 6:45 pm
Thank you so much Preethi for trying out the recipe. Am so glad that your family enjoyed it.