Name: Karnataka Ennegayi
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 150 g Baby Eggplant, purple or green, slit into a cross; ½ Onion, finely chopped; ½ Tomato, finely chopped; 1½ tbsp Peanuts, roasted and skins removed; ¾ tbsp Sesame Seeds, white, lightly dry roasted; 1 tbsp Dried Coconut, grated; 1 tbsp Sambar Masala, or any special Karnataka curry powder; 1 tbsp Tamarind Extract, thick paste; ½ tbsp Jaggery, crucial for balancing the tamarind; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds; 6 Curry Leaves; 2 tbsp Cooking Oil, Enne literally means oil, so be generous; ¾ cup Water; ¾ tsp Salt

45 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

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Method

In a blender, combine roasted groundnuts, roasted sesame seeds, dry coconut, sambar masala, tamarind extract, jaggery, salt, and a splash of water. Blend into a thick, coarse paste.
Stuff this thick masala paste generously inside the cross-slits of every baby brinjal. Keep the remaining masala paste aside.
Heat oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves, letting them crackle.
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
Gently place the stuffed brinjals into the oil. Fry them open on low-medium heat for 5-6 minutes, turning them carefully so they blister slightly without losing their stuffing.
5–6 min
Add the remaining masala paste left in the blender, along with the water. Gently swirl to mix the gravy without breaking the eggplants.
Cover with a lid and let it simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. The eggplants are done when they are fully tender and oil floats to the top of the rich gravy.
15–20 min
Turn off the heat and serve.

How to tell it's done

Silky, melt-in-the-mouth whole eggplants bursting with a deeply nutty, sweet, sour, and spicy coarse gravy.

Getting it right

Tip

The peanut and sesame base acts as a natural thickener and oil releaser. Ensure you roast them well before blending to avoid a raw taste in the gravy.

What to serve it with

A masterpiece of North Karnataka cuisine, historically served alongside hot Jowar Roti (Jolada Rotti) and raw onions.

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Ingredients