HOME        |        ABOUT        |        COPYRIGHT        |        CONTACT        |         RECIPE INDEX        |         INDIAN THAALIS        |         MILLET RECIPES        |        EVENTS' ROUNDUP        

Monday, June 11, 2007

Stuffed Eggplant Sambhar / Sivangi Pulusu

Eggplants are dearly embraced in Indian cuisine. Whether it is for daily usage or any festive occasion, they get a happy welcome sign at Indian homes. They are widely available and are used to prepare a great number of delicacies. Just visit Indian food blogs and you would notice that no two bloggers cook this veggie in the same way and you would end up with hundreds of recipes, if you care.
One of the classic eggplant dishes of Andhra is of course the guttivankaya / nune vankaya koora. This stuffed eggplant/ brinjal curry has been taken to a higher level to please the palates, in the following recipe. Here is an enchanting dish, nune vankaya pulusu or the stuffed eggplant sambhar for you to enjoy....
I must thank Deepthi who gave me this recipe. She happens to be my BIL's DIL, the next generation bahu in our family. She enthusiastically shared some of the coastal Andhra recipes and here is one of them. She said this dish is called 'Sivangi Pulusu', which I found a bit funny. 'Pulusu' is of course the equivalent Telugu name for 'Sambhar'. Sivangi is the Telugu word for a lioness. Though I am not sure why the dish has been given this name, it sure is fiercely pleasing and fit for a royal feast.

Ingredients:
Eggplants, round ones without any blemishes - 10
Chopped cilantro - 1/4 cup
Sambhar Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 2-3 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Asafoetida (hing) - a few pinches
Powdered Jaggery - 1 Tbsp (or 2 packets of sweetener)
Chillie powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind juice extracted from soaked tamarind (according to your taste or half of 1/4 cup of thick tamarind juice)
Few Curry leaves
Salt

Ingredients for filling:
Sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 4
Salt

Preparation:
Dry fry the sesame seeds on low to medium flame, till they start to turn brown and start to crackle. Also warm the red chillies. Let them cool. Grind them into a fine powder along with required amount of salt.
Wash the eggplants and wipe them dry. Cut off the stalks. Keeping the base intact, cut twice vertically (like a + sign). Gently open up the slits with your left fingers and fill them with the above sesame seed powder using a spoon or your right hand fingers. To get an idea, see the picture here . You can fill as much as the eggplants can hold.
Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a pan and add the stuffed eggplants carefully to the pan. Just turn around the eggplants with a spatula so that the eggplants are uniformly coated with the oil. Let them cook on low flame with in between stirring till they soften. (For beginners, here is a hint. Keep turning the eggplants till they change their color on all sides. By the time they change their color through out, they will be soft and cooked). Remove the eggplants carefully and keep them aside.
Take another pan and heat 2 tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds and when they start to crackle add asafoetida, curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds and turn off the stove. Now add 4 Tbsp of sesame seed powder (to thicken the gravy), tamarind juice, jaggery, sambhar powder, salt, chillie powder, chopped cilantro leaves to the pan. Also add required amount of water (may need 2 to 2.5 cups) and adjust the salt / tamarind/ sugar accordingly. Now carefully drop the cooked, stuffed eggplants to the pan. Turn on the stove and let the mixture come to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more. Turn off the stove.
I was told to serve this dish with rice and mudda pappu (lentils cooked with only required amount of water and salt added). It tasted excellent with plain rice too and this can be served with rotis as well.

This goes to JIHVA - Eggplant hosted by Sangeetha of Ghar Ka Khana and the creator of the event happens to be Indira of Mahanandi.
Post a comment

33 comments:

Pavani said...

Hi Suma, your Sivangi pulusu is making my mouth water. My neighbor in Hyd is from Vizag and she makes an awesome sivangi pulusu, just like yours. Lovely pics.. I'm getting hungry already (its only 5:30 now). Thanks for sharing.

Nupur said...

What a beautiful recipe introduction, Suma! I love the name "shivangi pulusu" :) The dish looks regal indeed.

Sharmi said...

that is such a beautiful recipe. it is a must try recipe for me. looks so yummy and tempting. great entry.

Anonymous said...

Hi Suma,
First time here, I too like eggplant very much. Never made sambar out of it. Pics look great and mouth watering,thanks for the recipe.

Viji said...

With sesame filling it must have tasted well. Viji

Suganya said...

I have never seen stuffed eggplants in sambar. BIL's DIL, eh? New generation cooking, I guess!

Nirmala said...

Suma,
wonderful recipe. the sesame seeds shud add a nutty flavor and I will definitely give a try...wonderful picture...Give a look at my website too ...passionatetrials.wordpress.com

ushaprashanth said...

Hi!
Heard of eggplant sambar, but not stuffed eggplant sambar. looks diferent,since in the ordinary it cut into slices. Pics are very nice!and the tip is a thoughtful one for beginners!

FH said...

Suma,this is so new!!I make stuffed Eggplants and Eggplant sambhar separately but never stuffed eggplant sambhar!!How neat! I will try this my friend.Thank you so much.

TNL said...

Hi Suma,

That is a new recipe to me.....stuffed eggplant, and that too in a Sambhar...very different!
thanks!

-trupti

Shivapriya said...

This is one of my fav. I had this first time at my chemistry lecture;s place. His wife made this for us and it was soooooo delicous. Thanks for sharing with us.

Roopa said...

yumm stuffed brinjal sambhar wonderful idea!

Richa said...

sivangi pulusu sounds so exotic :) loved the recipe, a sure must try for me :) the pic looks awesome!

Seema Bhat said...

Suma, Thanks to your BIL's DIL. The recipe and the picture looks mouth watering. Loved the colour. Want to gulp one baigan raja.

Seena said...

Really loved your site..! pictures are very clear and recipes are looking very tasty.. gongura pachchadi tempted me to give a try, is it curry leaves? could you pls tell me its english name? Have added you in my blogroll.

Meena Kandlakuti said...

HI Suma,

JFi entry is too good. I generally sometimes add eggplat in the sambar if they are in store, while preparing the sambar, as I add as many vege's as possible. Beacuse the Smabar tatste great.As all we know:-).But this stuffed eggplant smabar looks comletely different.

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

Hi Suma,
Lovely post/Just wanna say i loved the first snap it has comeout so perfect.Lovely color too

Sia said...

all i want to say is...awesome recipe and pic suma... cant take my eyes off from screen as it is my fav veg and dish...

DEEPA said...

wow!!!...i love eggplant ...nice pic and a nice recipe ....

Suma Gandlur said...

Pavani,
Thanks. I had no idea this dish was that popular in coastal Andhra.

Nupur,
Thank you. I love that name too. Named after a lioness... :)

Sharmi,
Give it a try and you will definitely love it.

Suma Gandlur said...

Madhu,
Welcome to my blog.I am sure you would love this dish as well, if you give a try.
Thx for visiting and keep visiting.

Viji,
It tasted excellent.

Suganya,
It's not a new dish. It is a traditional coastal Andhra dish.

Suma Gandlur said...

Nirmala,
Thx. I visited your blog and you have some great recipes there. Will keep visiting.

Usha,
Thx.

Asha,
I know eggplants are your favorite. Give it a try and I will assure that you are going to love it.

Suma Gandlur said...

Trupti, Padmaja, Roopa
Thx

Richa,
give it a try and you are going to love it.

Seema,
Thanks. I too feel the same way.

Suma Gandlur said...

Seena,
Thanks.
Gongura leaves are sold usually under the same name.I don't know if it has a English name. Gongura is a Telugu word for the sour greens which are used to make dal and pachchadis. They are not curry leaves.

Suma Gandlur said...

Meena, Soumya
Thanks

Supriya, Deepa
Thx.

Anonymous said...

U know what suma.. My mom in law always calls it sivangi pulusu, I never knew it was this until I ate it

Anonymous said...

wow
looks delicious
luv the name......sivangi pulusu :))
any sambar powder vl do?

www.talimpu.com
www.talimpu.com

Suma Gandlur said...

Anusharaji,
Thx.I usually use MTR brand sambhar powder. I think any homemade sambhar powder will do.

Prema Sundar said...

have never heard of stuffed eggplant sambar.. looks very nice and its sure worthy to try. thanks for sharing.

Lata said...

Hi Suma,

I saw the Sivangi Pulusu picture on your front page and I tried it immediately. It came out real good. Haven't eaten lunch yet but tasted it. Just waiting for my hubby to come home for lunch.

I did a good thing by staying at home today, learnt a new one and that too something that I love. I added Gutti Vankaya masala to brinjals and little bit in curry, was lazy to grind Sesame and Chilly paste. Thanks for this awesome recipe, I am sure I will be making this again and again.

Jen Kumar said...

Oh my god! This looks amazing, a dream! Thanks for posting this!

Unknown said...

its my favourite recipe... looking delicious and mouth watering.. thanks a lot... For north indian food recipes check North Indian Recipes at foodsnearme.com

Anonymous said...

what a beauty recipe kindly update to my email manoj@q8living.com