BHARELA RINGAD NU SHAAK | STUFFED BRINJALS
Bharela Ringad Nu Shaak | Stuffed Brinjals is a very flavourful, mildly spicy side dish that is usually enjoyed with rotli, roti, parathas or poori. The Gujarati style stuffing is usually made of roasted chickpea flour, peanuts, sesame seeds, spices, lemon juice and a bit of sugar. You can add fresh tomato puree to make a gravy or skip it.
Ingredients
FOR THE STUFFING
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ cup peanuts
- ¼ cup fresh coconut grated
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp coriander cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp green chili paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp jaggery powder or brown sugar
- ½ - ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ cup fresh fenugreek finely chopped
- 2 - 3 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
FOR THE SHAAK | SABJI
- 12 small brinjals round or 7 long ones
- 2 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 1 cup fresh tomato puree
- 1 tsp jaggery powder | brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
PREPARATION OF THE STUFFING
- Heat a wide pan over medium to low heat. Add peanuts and toast them.
- Keep stirring them all the time to toast evenly.
- They are done as soon as the skin begins to split or they turn light brown in colour.
- Transfer to a plate to allow the peanuts to cool.
- Add 2 tbsp sesame seeds to the pan. Toast them till they begin to pop. Make sure you stir them continuously.
- Transfer to a plate and allow them to cool a bit.
- Coarsely grind the sesame seeds in a food processor or spice grinder.
- Transfer to a plate or bowl and keep on the side till required.
- Grind the roasted peanuts to a coarse powder.
- Heat oil in the same wide pan over low heat.
- When the oil is a bit hot, add the chickpea flour.
- The oil flour mixture should be runny.
- Stir fry it till it turns light pink in colour.
- Add ginger, garlic and green chili paste.
- Stir fry for about a minute.
- Add the coconut and stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add the peanut and sesame seed powders.
- Mix well.
- Take the pan off the heat.
- Add chopped fresh fenugreek, dhana jiru, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Keep the stuffing on the side till required.
- If the stuffing is too dry, add a little bit of oil.
PREPARATION OF THE BRINJALS
- Wash and wipe the brinjals with a clean cloth.
- Trim the stalk and remove the leaves. Leave a bit of the stalk.
- Make a slit on one side three quarters of the way starting from the stalk down.
- Cut a very thin slice of the brinjal off where you've made the slit. It should like a wedge.
- Stuff the brinjals with the stuffing. Press it into the slit gently so that way you get more stuffing and it does not come out during cooking.
PREPARATION OF THE SHAAK |SABJI
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- Add fenugreek seeds. Then add the mustard and cumin seeds.
- When they begin to sizzle, add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.
- Mix well and immediately arrange the stuffed brinjals in the pan with the slit side up.
- Sprinkle salt over them.
- Lower the heat, cover the pan and let the brinjals cook.
- Frequently shake the pan so that the brinjals get turned and don't burn.
- If you find that the brinjals are not done and are beginning to stick to the pan, add about ¼ cup water. Cover the pan and let the brinjals cook.
- Insert a knife in one and if it goes through easily then the brinjals are done.
- Add the tomato puree on top and the sides. Cover and let the mixture cook for 4-5 minutes over low flame.
- If you are adding the remaining stuffing then add it along with the tomato puree.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve stuffed brinjals with hot rotis or parathas.
Notes
- Save any left over stuffing. Put it in the freezer for future use. Can use it to sprinkle over stir fried brinjal sabji , stir fried ladyfinger sabji or use it to stuff peppers.
- Can stuff potatoes and cook in the same manner. Mix potatoes and brinjals.
- Too lazy to stuff the vegetables then sprinkle the stuffing over cubed and cooked potatoes and brinjals for a different taste.
- Coriander Cumin powder or dhana jiru is a must in any Gujarati kitchen. It is one part of coriander seeds to quarter part cumin seeds. Coriander and cumin seeds are roasted separately, mixed and then ground into a powder.