Young Brinjals and Peas Gravy

After a long time I was at a grocery chain in the center of the city and I just freaked out on the stock up. I picked up so many vegetables, grains, beans that are many times not stocked by my neighborhood store nor does the one at work stock them much.

I found some lovely looking young green brinjals that are ideal for stuffing, I just had to pick them up though Dad had told me that he had already bought other variety of brinjals.

I think my Dad too had spent a good time at the nearby street market as he too had bought so many cauliflower, cabbage, juicy tomatoes etc. The Peas looked to fresh. As I was planning our lunch today I remembered having eaten this gravy at Aruna Kaki's mother's place. I had loved it a lot except that it had a 1/4 inch layer of oil over it. There was no way I was going to use that much oil but then Kaki's mother is a 70 yrs old who cooks the old way and once in a while I enjoy that kind of food.

So here is the original recipe and my low fat changes.

Ingredients

10 young brinjals
1 cup fresh peas
2 big onion pureed
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 green chilies slit
1 inch marble of tamarind, soaked in hot water and extracted
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon mustard
4 tablespoon oil (I used half)


First wash the brinjal and slit them as you would do for stuffing. The slit going 3/4 the way upto the calyx. Keep the stems on.

Next heat half the oil in a wok or handi. Then fry the brinjals in it to coat with oil and soften a bit by cooking for 10mins covered. Remove and keep them on a plate.

In the same vessel make the tadka with mustard and cumin, then add the green chilies. To this add the onion puree fry til almost dry. Add all the masala powders one by one with intermittent stiring. Then add the softened brinjals and the fresh peas to the masala. and give it a stir. Add water to cover the brinjals so they cook to real soft state. Keep the heat on sim and let it cook slowly. I cooked almost for 30 mins, check in between if it needs more water. Keep the gravy thickness to your liking just about to hold the brinjals and the peas in it. It should not be too thin. To check if brinjals are done press near the stems. It should be nice and soft. At this point only after we confirm that the veggies are cooked add the tamarind extract and salt. Adjust a bit of water if required and boil on high for 3-4 mins.


Serve hot with phulkas or millet rotis. This one is absolutely lipsmacking.