Brinjal, also known as Eggplant, is popular in Andhra region especially for the different varieties of chutneys and curries that are made with it. Here is a chutney recipe by Anjani Duddu traditionally called Vankaya Muddha Pachchadi – a delicious accompaniment to steaming rice.
The whitish green brinjal always brings back memories for Anjani Duddu. Childhood memories of her parents & her village where this brinjal was a native vegetable. She grew up in Hyderabad where this brinjal was not easily available in her younger days. She remembers how it was a much sought after gift whenever any family member from the village visited them. Even though it is now available in the local grocery store in Hyderabad, for her, it will always be a special memory. Her mother, Smt. Ganti Bhaskari, prepared this excellent chutney with brinjal very often. This post is a tribute by Anjani in her mother’s memory who passed away in July this year at the age of 83.
ANJANI SAYS: “This Brinjal recipe, Vankaya Muddha Pachchadi, is native to Andhra Pradesh especially in the East and West Godavari districts. It was one of the favourite dishes at my parents’ home as well as my husband’s home. Both the families are from the same village and therefore share similar tastes & preferences. Perhaps what made this recipe special is that it was not available in Hyderabad where I grew up. Nowadays it is available in our local market, yet memories of my village add a special flavor to this dish. My husband and children truly enjoy this chutney and always say that it is simply mouth-watering.”
Ingredients:
Brinjal (whitish green or purple) – 1, large
Tamarind, pingpong ball sized, soaked in warm water
Green chillies – 2
Oil – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
The 1st tempering:
Dry red chillies (long variety) – 3, broken into bits
Split black gram, husked (urad dal) – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds (methi) – 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida powder – a pinch
The 2nd tempering:
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli – 1
Curry leaves – a few
1) Smear brinjal with little oil all over and roast on flame until the skin becomes soft and can be easily peeled.
2) Peel off the skin from brinjal and chop roughly. Grind along with green chillies, salt and tamarind on a grinding stone to a coarse pulp. (Grinding on a stone slab gives the perfect consistency which cannot be replicated if mixie or blender is used).
3) Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add the ingredients for tempering and when the mustard starts spluttering, take off flame & set aside. Grind to a coarse paste using mortar and pestle. If using mixie care has to taken so that the tempering is not fine.
4) Add this paste to the brinjal pulp and mix well using mortar and pestle if necessary so that the ingredients are blended well.
5) Garnish with mustard seeds, red chillis and curry leaves tempered in the remaining oil.
Serve with steaming rice and fried Majjiga Mirapakayalu (chillies cured in yogurt).
ARUNA SAYS:
Well, I love to cook and I also love to eat. In my growing years, especially when I was in college, I used to help my mother in the kitchen. Though I never actually enjoyed helping her at that point of time, I now realize those initial years of training has stood me in good stead. My mother too used to help my Paati (which means Grandma in Tamil) in the kitchen while my younger aunt would entertain guests who came over. As a result, my mother became adept at culinary skills.
Pina colado by Shri of Tasty Touch who uses freshly made coconut milk and chopped pineapple to make this cooler for us.
Our very own contribution to this event is 
.
