Gutti Vankaya Koora (Stuffed Brinjal/Egg plant Curry)

Ingredients:

Vankayalu (Brinjals) - 8

Onion (large) - 1

Ginger - one inch

Garlic pods - 2

Bengal gram - 1 tbsp

Urad dal - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Cashews - 3

Green chillies / Red chillies - 4-5

Turmeric - pinch

Salt - as per taste

Milk - 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash, clean and cut the brinjals from the lower end in both sides to three-fourth of it and place them in plenty of water until used. Similarly chop onion length wise and set aside.
2. Take a pan, heat oil and add bengal gram, urad dal, cumin seeds, chopped ginger, garlic, chopped green chillies/red chillies, cashews, turmeric and fry them until they change their color.
3. Let them cool for a minute and grind them with salt and 2 tbsp coriander leaves.
4. Add chopped onions in the same hot pan and saute for 1 minute. Wait until they are cool.
5. Add half of the fried onions to prepared mixture and grind one more time (just for few seconds only, the mixture should be coarse and not smooth).
6. Mix the remaining fried onions in the coarse mixture and stuff it in between the four quarters of brinjals.
7. Take a skillet, heat oil and place all the stuffed brinjals side by side. Saute under low flame with closed lid.
8. After few minutes, turn the brinjals to other side and cook for some more time. Repeat the process until all the sides of brinjals are evenly cooked.
9. Add milk little by little and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the brinjals turn soft. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with white rice. The stuffed brinjals melt in your mouth.....Relish the taste!!!!!

TIP: Small, tender, violet brinjals are prefered for better taste. Do not grind the fried onions in to smooth paste. Green chillies or red chillies, anything of your choice can be used in preparing the stuffing. Optionally tamarind pulp can also be added in stuffing. The entire process of  cooking has to be done under low to medium flame only. Do not stir the brinjals continuously by applying pressure (turn them carefully for even cooking). Add milk only at the end.