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Yennagai (Brinjal/Eggplant Dry Curry) Recipe
In Tamil, Yennagai means fried in oil. This is a South Indian dry pan-fried curry consisting of: egg-plant, Sweet bell pepper and potatoes
Contributor: Srinivasan S K, Banglore, India
Region Style: South India
Anecdote
As a Senior Executive in a Big4 Audit & Consulting firm, I was quite used to being part of large Global Projects and staying at Client locations for long durations. However, week end boredom was something I could never get over with. It was during one such occasion in Jamnagar, I had opportunity to work in the Kitchens (The RKHS people were manning the kitchens then) of our Client's rather Opulent Guest House. And this was the result.
Ingredients
The Masala
Chana Dal, Urad Dal and Dhaniya - Equal Measures
Red Chilies - 3 to 4 times (the quantity of Chana Dal) (depending upon how thej the chili is)
Dalchini, Laung (just one or two), Cardamom (not mandatory), Cinnamon as required.
The Curry
Baigan twice as much as Potatoes
Capsicum as much as potatoes or Baigan (as per preference)
Potatoes half as much as Baigan
Method
The Masala
1. Heat Karahi on a low flame
2. Add half a Tablespoon of groundnut / suffola oil.
3. Add Gram Dal and Urad Dal to heated oil and fry for a while (until they start turning golden brown)
4. Add Dhania and continue frying until the raw smell of Dhania is gone. But make sure the ingredients do not get burnt, particularly, the dals.
5. Add Dalchini, Laung, cinnamon
6. Add the chilies and fry for a while.
7. (In case the Masala is to prepared for storing and in large quantities, each of the ingredients should be fried separately and mixed up before grinding)
8. Let the mixture cool and dry grind them into a fine powder (some prefer it little coarse)
The Curry
1. Cut the Baigan into 2.5 to 3 inches long thin pieces.
2. Cut Capsicum similarly
3. Cut Potatoes similarly but preferably thinner than the Baigan pieces
4. Heat Karahi and add 5 to 6 Tablespoons of oil (YENNAGAI in TAMIL means oil cooked vegetable) You can use half or one thirds as much as oil used for deep frying depending upon one’s dietary preference)
5. Add two or three pinches of Haldi powder
6. Add two teaspoons of mustard seeds and let them splutter
7. Add Potatoes and fry them for a while until they are partially cooked
8. Add Baigan and Capsicum and fry them for a while and cook in a low flame by Karahi covering with a lid
9. Note that at no point of time should water be added
10. Once the potatoes are well done and the raw Baigan smell is gone, add appropriate quantity of the Masala (generally 4 teaspoons for ˝ a KG of Baigan)
11. Add Salt to taste. Sauté for a while cover the lid and let the ingredients cook in their own juices.
12. Intermittently keep turning the contents so that they DO NOT get burnt.
13. Once the Masala has mixed well with the vegetables and all the subjies are well-cooked switch off the flames and allow the curry to simmer.
Notes
The Masala powder can also be used to prepare Vaangi Bhaath, Upma (use it instead of the chilies before boiling the water – it tastes really different). Adding appropriate quantity of tamarind juice and cooking the vegetables for a while (till the raw tamarind smell is gone) before adding the Masala results in a different curry known popularly as RASAVAANGI. However the main vegetable in both cases must be Baigan (Vaangi is derived from Vankai which in Telugu means Baingan or Brinjal or Egg Plant in Yankee English)
PS: In case the curry does not taste good, blame it on your spouse!!! (Any reason is good reason)