Vankaya Pulusu

Name: Vankaya Pulusu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: andhra
Ingredients: 400 g eggplant (small purple eggplants, quartered with stems trimmed); 1 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 25 g tamarind (soaked in warm water and squeezed to make extract); 2 cup water (for tamarind extract and gravy); 2 tbsp oil; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 0.25 tsp fenugreek seeds; 2 pcs dried red chili (broken in half); 8 pcs curry leaves; 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 tsp jaggery (grated); 0.5 tsp salt; 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

RATING

4.5/5(87)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

This Andhra-style brinjal tamarind stew is tangy, gently spiced, and full of soft eggplant in a light, flavorful gravy. It pairs especially well with steamed rice and makes a comforting part of an everyday South Indian meal.

PREP

15m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 KATORI

139 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Prepare the tamarind and eggplant.
1.Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 15 minutes and squeeze well to extract the pulp.
2.Strain the tamarind extract and keep it aside.
3.Quarter the eggplants and keep them in water until needed so they do not darken.
TIPKeep the eggplant pieces similar in size so they soften evenly in the pulusu.
temper · ~2 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dried red chili, and curry leaves.
4.Cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
TIPDo not let the fenugreek seeds turn dark brown or they can make the gravy bitter.
saute · ~9 min
Cook the onion and tomatoes.
1.Add onion and green chili to the pan.
2.Cook until the onion turns soft and lightly golden, 4 to 5 minutes.
3.Add tomato and cook until it breaks down and looks pulpy, 4 minutes.
saute · ~5 min
Add the eggplant and spices.
1.Drain the eggplant and add it to the pan.
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt.
3.Mix gently and cook for 4 to 5 minutes so the eggplant is lightly coated and starts to soften.
TIPTurn the pieces gently so the eggplant keeps its shape.
simmer · ~15 min
Simmer the pulusu.
Pour in the tamarind extract and the remaining 1 cup water. Add jaggery, mix well, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the eggplant is soft and the gravy tastes balanced and tangy, 12 to 15 minutes.
garnish
Garnish with cilantro.
serve
Serve hot with steamed rice.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Keep the quartered brinjals in water until they hit the pan, or they can discolor and absorb excess oil.
2
Use a wide pan so the eggplant cooks in a single layer and softens without turning mushy too early.
3
Toast the fenugreek only for a few seconds; if it turns dark, the pulusu can taste noticeably bitter.
4
Cook the tomatoes until fully pulpy before adding tamarind, or the gravy can taste sharp instead of rounded.
5
Simmer gently after adding tamarind; a hard boil can break the brinjal pieces and muddy the gravy.
6
The best doneness cue is brinjal that is soft to the center but still holding its quarters.
7
Pulusu often tastes even better after 30 minutes of resting, when the brinjal absorbs the tangy-spicy gravy.