Nune vankaya pulusu/brinjal stew
Nune vankaya pulusu is spicy, tangy stew/pulusu prepared with vankayalu/brinjals. The vankaya pulusu I’ve prepared today is my mom’s recipe. There are many variations with slight changes to prepare the recipe. Usually southern Andhra people prepare the stew in this style. I’ve used sambar powder for the consistency. Instead of sambar powder, Tamilians usually take ingredients of sambar powder and ground them to a smooth paste along with coconut(Ennai kathirikka kulambu). You can adjust the flavours with minor changes according to your family’s preference. This is very delicious when served with hot steamed rice. Here I present yummy nune vankaya pulusu to relish any day. Njoy Cooking, Serving n Savoring!
Author: Akshayakumbham
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: Andhra, India
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Purple small brinjals: 10 nos.
Onion: 1 no. Big
Garlic flakes: 6/7 nos.
Tamarind: lemon sized
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Sambar Powder: 2 tsp
(Home made){Please click on the link for the sambar powder recipe}
Salt: As required
Jaggery powder: Half tsp
Turmeric: Generous pinch
Coriander leaves: Few
Curry leaves: A sprig.
Tempering:
Sesame oil/Peanut oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: Half tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 6/7 nos.
Asafoetida: A pinch.
Method of preparation:
1. Take 10 small purple brinjals, rinse them well with water and keep aside.
2. Now heat kadai and pour two tablespoons of sesame oil into it.
3. When the oil becomes hot add mustard seeds and few fenugreek seeds.
4. When mustard splutter add a pinch of asafoetida into it.
5. Stir them once and add the chopped onion and garlic. 
6. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric too. Mix thoroughly and fry till the onion turn into translucent.
7. Meanwhile take a veggie bowl with enough water. Keep enough salt and turmeric into it. Remove the stems of the brinjals. Slice them into four parts without cutting the base of the brinjals. Keep the brinjals in water till they are used.
8. Now put the sliced brinjals into the fried onions and mix them well. Add required amount of salt. Otherwise the brinjals turn into bitter taste.
9. Fry them on low flame till they are 3/4 th done.
10. Meanwhile soak tamarind in enough water for 20 minutes.
11. Now add red chilli powder and sambar powder. Mix well and fry for a minute.
12. Now add one cup of water and bring them to boil. Add curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves.
13. Now add extracted tamarind water to this boiling brinjals. Add half tsp of jaggery powder. Stir once and boil the pulusu again.
14. If required add little salt. Boil the pulusu till the desired consistency is obtained.
15. Switch off the flame and transfer the nune vankaya pulusu into a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves.
16. Serve hot nune vankaya pulusu with hot steamed rice.
Tips:
1. In the above recipe I’ve not added tomatoes. If you’re using tomatoes reduce the quantity of tamarind and use one or two tomatoes. Add chopped tomatoes when the brinjals are 3/4 th done.
2. Use small and equal size brinjals for best results. You can try the recipe with long brinjals too.
3. If sambar powder is not readily available, coriander powder can be used. Besan powder(One Tbsp) can also be added for the consistency.
akshayakumbham 