Ennegaayi

Ennegai / Ennegaayi is a North Karnataka cuisine. It is very tasty. It tastes well with chapati and also with rice. In Havyaka cuisine also we generally use coconut. In this recipe also we use grated coconut. So I thought I should write about it. There are variations in ways in which ennegaayi is prepared. Some use groundnuts instead of coconut. In this blogpost, I have described preparation of ennegaayi using grated coconuts with a little quantity of groundnuts.

Ingredients: (1 cup = 100 ml)

• Small brinjals-10-12.

For dry roasting:

• Coriander seeds- 2.5 teaspoons,
• Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon,
• Methi seeds- 1/4 teaspoon,
• Cloves: 2-3,
• Red Byadgi chillies: 3-4,
• Peanuts/groundnuts: 10 nuts.

For grinding:

• Grated coconut- 3/4th coconut (around 1.5 cups)
• Tamarind- small lemon sized ball
• Onion- 1/2
• Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt
• Sugar / Jaggery - 1 teaspoon

For tempering:

• Oil- 2 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Few curry leaves
• Onion-1/2

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Serves: 3 to 4.

Method:

Step 1: Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, methi seeds, cloves and red Byadgi chillies. Dry roast peanuts separately as it requires more time.

Step 2: Along with the ingredients roasted above, add grated coconut, tamarind, onion, hing, salt and sugar (Bella) and grind with water. After grinding, taste it and add salt on the higher side (as we can't add salt to brinjals).

Step 3: Brinjal preparation: Wash brinjals. Make "+" shaped cuts on brinjal (as shown in the video and also in the pictures). Cut the brinjal fruit green stalk.

Make "+" shaped cuts on brinjal

Cut the brinjal fruit green stalk.

Step 4: Tempering - Heat oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves in a pan (or in cooker). Once mustard sputters, add onion and fry till they turn golden brown.

Add onion and fry till they turn golden brown

 Step 5: Filling the brinjals: As shown in the video, fill ground masala paste (from step 2) inside brinjals and keep it in the pan(or cooker). Add sufficient water, close the lid, cook in low-medium flame for 20 minutes. Keep checking for water, and water if needed, keep mixing it well.

Step 6: On low flame, for about 20 minutes cook the brinjals closing the lid. Intermittently keep stirring.

After 20 minutes of cooking on low flame

 Step 7: Serve with chapati/jolada rotti

Tips:

• Be careful while cutting brinjals.
• Smaller the brinjal, better it is.