Gutti Vankaya Kura or stuffed Brinjal curry is an authentic Andhra side dish from South India. This Gutti Vankaya curry is usually prepared with a peanut masala powder which makes the dish unique and flavorsome. The dry roasted peanut powder and spices give a uniquely rich and creamy texture to this curry. This gutti vankaya curry is a delicious vegan-friendly side dish that tastes best with roti, parotta, biryani, or rice for lunch and dinner.
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What is Gutti Vankaya Curry?
Gutti Vankaya curry is nothing but stuffed brinjal curry that is popular in the state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Gutti Vankaya means stuffed brinjal and Kura means curry. Usually, the Gutti Vankaya Kura recipe is made with tender, small purple-color brinjal that is stuffed with peanut masala powder/podi which is then simmered in a delicious onion-tomato curry.
Though the Brinjal curry is popular across South India, the making of this curry varies according to the place, region of the people. Whether it's Andhra or Telangana style Gutti Vankaya/brinjal curry, the taste, texture, and flavor of the dish remain unique. This Andhra style brinjal curry preparation has a bit lengthy process, but it's absolutely worth trying!
In Andhra and Telangana, most of the restaurants serve this brinjal curry with peanut as a side dish for chicken and mutton biryani like the Chicken Biryani, Biryani Rice, and Mutton Biryani that can be found in this blog. There is also another version of brinjal curry Bagara Baingan, a Hyderabadi style salan that is very popular among the people of Andhra and Telangana.
Gutti Vankaya Kura Podi
As I mentioned above in the post, the special blend of peanut and spices are the secret ingredient of this Gutti Vankaya Curry. And here is the process of making the perfect Gutti Vankaya Kura podi. To make this spice powder all you need is peanuts and few Indian spices which are usually available in the Indian stores around.
To prepare the peanut podi/powder, in medium heat roast the peanuts until it turns crisp. After that, switch the heat to low and add dry red chili, coriander seeds, white sesame seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, desiccated coconut, and roast until they turn aromatic. Make sure to roast all the ingredients in the suggested heat settings to avoid burning which may alter the entire flavor of the dish. Now transfer the mixture to the blender and grind it to a coarse powder. Make sure you allow them to cool down completely before grinding them.
How to make Gutti Vankaya Curry?
The recipe I have shared here is a rich, creamy and tasty Andhra Style Gutti Vankaya Koora. And it makes 3 servings. To make this curry, I initially cut the brinjal into x shape and soaked it in hot water with salt for 15 minutes. And it is best not to cut deep inside which will break the brinjal while stuffing or cooking.
After that, I prepared the masala powder/podi with the process I mentioned above. Then I stuffed the brinjal with the masala powder and reserved it for later use. Following that, I added mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chili, curry leaves in a pan and allowed them to sizzle. Then I added onions and sauteed until it turned soft. Afterward, I added the ginger garlic paste and sauteed it until aromatic.
Subsequently, I added the tomatoes and allowed them to cook until mushy. Then I added the stuffed brinjal to the tomato-onion gravy and gave a nice mix. And then I have added the leftover masala powder and gave a quick mix.
Later, poured a cup of water and cooked the brinjal for 15 minutes with the pan lid closed, After that, I opened the lid and gave a final mix. Then I garnished the delicious Gutti Vankaya Koora with coriander leaves and served hot with parotta and white rice.
Variations
Gutti Vankaya Kura or curry is an immensely flavorful curry dish that has a lot of variations. Usually, the ingredients like peanuts and other Indian spices are dry roasted to make a coarse powder. This special masala powder is the secret ingredient that gives you a whole lot of flavor to the dish.
You could also make this recipe without peanuts by just replacing it with Chana dal. This makes the curry nut free and of course, it is also a healthy alternative. And if you would love to have a slightly tangy flavor in your Gutti Vankaya curry, then you can add a small amount of tamarind pulp and jaggery powder to the dish. And it really enhances the taste and flavor of the curry. I had an opportunity to prepare and try both with and without tamarind and it turned out great for me.
Even though I love to make my Gutti Vankaya curry recipe with a lot of onion and tomato, there is another version where people make this dish without onion and tomato. Similarly in certain versions, the dish is also prepared without onions and garlic. People from North Karnataka make a similar recipe which is called Ennegayi curry. And in Tamilnadu, the brinjal curry is prepared without peanuts and is referred to as Ennai Kathirikkai kuzambhu.
Tips
To get a perfect Gutti Vankaya Kura, it is best to choose small, tender brinjals. This helps the brinjal to cook thoroughly from the inside out. Even though this recipe has a generous amount of oil usage, you can always feel free to reduce it according to your family's needs. And the peanut itself is a good source of fat that releases oil naturally in the gravy. And of course, everyone likes their food to be healthy so adjust the quantity of oil accordingly.
This Gutti Vankaya curry is a perfect side dish for your taste buds especially when you are craving for spicy one. And I believe you will try and enjoy this dish with your family and loved ones.
Serving Suggetions
This Gutti Vankaya Kura tastes great with chapati, roti, white rice, and basmati rice. And it tastes rich and delicious when paired with most biryani dishes.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar recipes below and more recipes at Veg Curries.
To make your life easy, I have also created a collection Indian Vegetarian Lunch Recipes in one place and I believe it will help you to plan your meal and prepare and enjoy it at home. Take a peek!
Gutti Vankaya Curry Recipe video
I have also shared the quick and easy instructions to make Gutti Vankaya curry in the video below and I believe it will help you to prepare the dish and enjoy at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Gutti Vankaya Curry (Kura)
Ingredients
- 5 Brinjal, baby variety is preferred
- ¼ cup Peanuts
- 7 Dry Red Chili
- 2 tsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds, white
- 2 tsp Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp for masala + 1 tsp for seasoning
- 3 Cinnamon Stick, small
- 3 Cardamom
- 4 Cloves
- ¼ cup Coconut, desiccated
- 1 cup Water, hot
- ½ cup Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 3 Green Chili, chopped
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 Onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 Tomato, chopped
- Salt, as needed
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ cup Coriander Leaves
Instructions
To Soak Brinjal/Vankaya
- Take the baby brinjals and make an X shaped cut in the middle. Make sure not to cut very deep till the end which may result in the breaking of brinjals while stuffing or cooking
- Add 1 cup of hot water, salt to the brinjals and soak them in a bowl for 15 minutes. Then wash and reserve it for later use
To Prepare Masala
- In a pan with medium heat, add peanuts and fry until it turns crisp
- Add dry red chili, coriander seeds, white sesame seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, desiccated coconut, and toss everything until it turns aromatic
- Transfer the mixture to the blender and grind it into a coarse powder
To Stuff the Brinjal/Vankaya
- Stuff in the masala powder in all the brinjals and keep it aside for later use
To Prepare Gutti Vankaya Kura
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chili, curry leaves and allow them to splutter
- Add the onions and saute until it turns soft
- Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, and give a nice mix
- Now add the tomatoes and sauté until they turn mushy
- Add the stuffed brinjal and give a quick stir
- Now add the remaining leftover masala powder and give a thorough mix
- Add water and give a good mix
- Close the pan with the lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes
- Now open the lid and add the coriander leaves and give a final stir
- Now the delicious Gutti Vankaya Kura/curry is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this delicious Gutti Vankaya Kura with parotta, roti, or rice
Video
Notes
- While stuffing the brinjal with the powder the brinjal may break. To avoid that make sure not to cut the brinjals deep till the end
- Make sure to fry the peanuts and spices in medium heat and to the right consistency to get a nice aroma to the curry. Burning the mix would spoil the dish so try to be extra cautious
- I have added a generous amount of oil to make the dish rich and flavorful. But you can always feel free to reduce it according to your family needs
- The baby brinjals are preferred for this recipe and I have used them. But this dish can also be made with regular brinjals/vankaya
Nutrition
FAQ
Gutti Vankaya curry or Kura is a tasty and spicy stuffed brinjal curry that is popular in the South Indian state Of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Gutti Vankaya curry recipe is made with tender, small purple-colored brinjal that is stuffed with peanut masala powder/podi which is simmered in an onion-tomato curry. And this is served with biryani, chapati, and roti.
For Gutti Vankaya curry, the brinjal is stuffed with special peanut masala powder before adding it to the gravy. Whereas in Bagara Baingan the brinjal is roasted in oil without any stuffing and then added to the gravy mix.
The traditional recipe uses peanuts as the main ingredient which gives a unique flavor to the dish But to try the nut-free version you could replace it with Chana dal. Note that, there will be a change in the traditional taste and flavor.
You could just skip the coconut and follow the rest of the instructions mentioned in the recipe card.
Yes, you can shallow fry the brinjals without stuffing them with peanut masala powder but it is Bagara Baingan which is a different version of brinjal curry.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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