Ingredients
0
Instructions
Cooking Steps
Step 1: To begin making the Menthi Vankaya recipe, in a pan, dry roast ingredients mentioned under methi karam/spice powder which includes coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies and raw peanuts
Step 2: This will take about 2 minutes
Step 3: Once everything is roasted well, cool it completely and grind into fine powder using a mixer grinder
Step 4: If you are adding peanuts, add them last after all the other spices are finely powdered
Step 5: Otherwise, the powder becomes oily
Step 6: Keep the powder aside to stuff in the brinjals
Step 7: Next, wash and pat dry the small brinjals thoroughly
Step 8: Slit brinjals in such a way that you see an X at the base
Step 9: Be careful not to slit open them completely
Step 10: In a bowl, add water with salt and immerse the brinjals in salt water for 5 minutes
Step 11: In a heavy bottomed pan, add half of the water, required salt and gently drop brinjals when water starts to boil
Step 12: Make sure there is only one layer of brinjals
Step 13: Do not put one brinjal over the other
Step 14: Cook covered until brinjals are 80% done
Step 15: This will not take more than 6 to 10 minutes
Step 16: Now, add tamarind paste
Step 17: If there is not enough water left, add some more water
Step 18: Mix and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes until brinjals absorb all the salt and tamarind flavours
Step 19: Remove from pan, cool them completely
Step 20: Drain the remaining water
Step 21: In the meantime, take a regular sewing thread, measure the length equal to twice the diameter of brinjals and cut into 10 or 12 pieces
Step 22: After the brinjals are cooled down, stuff them with spice powder and wrap the thread around them gently
Step 23: This ensures the spice powder does not come out while frying
Step 24: Heat oil in the same wide pan, fry urad dal until golden and add curry leaves
Step 25: Fry until crisp and gently place stuffed and secured brinjals in the pan
Step 26: Fry the brinjals until they are completely cooked
Step 27: Sprinkle the remaining spice powder on the top
Step 28: Turn the brinjals gently using a fork and and a spoon
Step 29: Do not use a ladle as it may break the brinjals
Step 30: Once the brinjals are soft and cooked properly, remove the thread carefully and serve hot
Step 31: Serve Menthi Vankaya along with Mixed Vegetable Sambar, Steamed Rice and Elai Vadam for a satisfying South Indian lunch with your family