The soft texture of stuffed brinjal marinated in spices and herbs in this Traditional Maharashtrian Bharli Vangi is a delicacy that one can’t get over.
In this Maharashtrian dish, eggplant is stuffed with spicy masala and then cooked until perfection. Here is how to make it.
I have always felt that Maharashtrian and South Indian cuisine has many similarities, one being use of coconut.
And thus, I think I love these two cuisines so much!
Being a North Indian, I was not very familiar with the use of coconut in our food during childhood.
But as I am exploring more and more cuisines, I now love the taste of coconut in my dishes.
So, today, I will take you through a traditional Maharashtrian recipe, BHARLI VANGI.
Brinjal stuffed with a spicy masala and then pan fried until cooked, yummy, this will surely satisfy you taste buds.
Also, I am one of those rare people who loves Baingan in any form.
And also this spicy masala has coconut, which makes this dish even more delicious.
And trust me, this recipe will make you a Baingan lover too.
Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself.
Also, this is a must have dish in Maharashtrian weddings, festivals and special occasions.
Now, you will know that how special this dish is in Maharashtra.
Try this recipe, and I can say that you will never go back to your usual Stuffed Baingan recipe.
Here are some more Maharashtrian recipes for you, if you are looking to explore this cuisine more – Zunka, Misal Pav, Masale Bhat, Puran Poli, Kakdi Chi Koshimbir, Pithla, Sabudana Thalipeeth and Shengdana Amti.
What is Bharli Vangi?
It is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe that is made in almost all the Marathi households for their everyday meals and for your special occasions too.
The Baingan is stuffed with a spicy masala which is made of peanuts, coconut, jaggery, goda masala, tamarind paste, red chilli powder, green chillies, ginger, onion, salt and fresh coriander.
The soft texture of stuffed brinjal cooked in spices and herbs is a delicacy that one can’t get over.
Once the brinjals are stuffed, it is tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds and hing and then cooked until the brinjals are soft in the stuffed masala.
I have tried this recipe quite a lot of times and it turned out perfect just every time and my family loves it.
Some people also add onion and tomatoes in the filling and in the curry and you can do that too.
There is Maharashtrian Masala, which adds a unique taste to it, that is Goda Masala.
You can either make it at home or use the store bought one.
If you have time on your hand, I will recommend you to make it at home.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, it is served along with Jwarichi Bhakri (Jowar roti), but you can also serve it with Rice Bhakri, Chapati, Tawa Paratha, Lachha Paratha or with Plain Rice.
Try this once and I am sure you will continue to prepare this on a regular basis. Believe me on this!
Can we use other variety of Brinjals for this dish?
You can make this dish with any variety of small brinjals. I personally love the purple ones, but you can use the green ones too.
What is Goda Masala?
Goda Masala is a traditional Maharashtrian spice mix and is made using coconut and various other spices. It is spicy and adds a lot of flavour to the dishes it is added to.
It is an important ingredient in making Bharli Vangi and most families have their own recipe to make this masala.
I will share a recipe to make this masala soon but till then, you can buy this masala from local grocery stores or online on amazon.
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Step by Step Recipe
Wash the brinjal and slit them into 4 keeping the end intact. Soak them in water and keep aside.
Add peanuts, coconut, jaggery, good masala, tamarind paste, red chilli powder, green chillies, ginger and onion in a blender and blend until smooth.
Use very little water to make the paste.
Add salt, fresh coriander in the masala paste and mix well.
Stuff this mixture in the brinjals.
Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add the stuffed brinjal and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Mix the remaining masala with 1 cup water and add it in the pan. Cover and cook on low heat until brinjal are cooked.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
Bharli Vangi Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Brinjal
- ¼ cup Peanuts (Roasted)
- ½ cup Fresh Coconut (Grated)
- 1 tsp Jaggery (Crushed)
- 2 tbsp Goda Masala
- 2 tsp Tamarind Paste
- 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 2 Green Chillies
- 1 inch Ginger (Chopped)
- ½ cup Onion (Chopped)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander (Chopped)
- 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ¼ tsp Hing
- 10-12 Curry Leaves
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Instructions
- Wash the brinjal and slit them into 4 keeping the end intact.
- Soak them in water and keep aside.
- Add peanuts, coconut, jaggery, good masala, tamarind paste, red chilli powder, green chillies, ginger and onion in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Use very little water to make the paste.
- Add salt, fresh coriander in the masala paste and mix well.
- Stuff this mixture in the brinjals.
- Keep the remaining mixture aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
- Add the stuffed brinjal and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the remaining masala with 1 cup water and add it in the pan.
- Cover and cook on low heat until brinjal are cooked.
- Garnish with fresh coriander.
- Serve hot.
Avishek Dan
Loved it!
Neha Mathur
Thanks