Brinjal Recipes Special: Gutti Vankaya, An Andhra-Style Stuffed Brinjal Curry
Gutti Vankaya
55 mins
Cooking Time
Intermediate
Difficulty
29
Ingredients
Vegan
Diet
The freshest supply of brinjals, along with other monsoon vegetables, floods the market during the monsoons between June and September, and also during winter. So it’s hardly a surprise that brinjal recipes surge in popularity during this time, along with other monsoon food. Enter gutti vankaya, a spicy and creamy stuffed brinjal curry from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, made with small, tender eggplants filled with a roasted peanut, sesame, and coconut masala. The word ‘gutti’ means bunch or cluster, and ‘vankaya’ refers to the brinjal itself.
Unlike simpler brinjal recipes, this one has an elaborate spice paste, typical of Andhra cuisine, with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and clove roasted alongside the peanuts and sesame and blended with ginger, garlic, and onion into a thick, fragrant stuffing. The brinjal chosen is also deliberate, as the smaller ones are tender and yet can hold their shape and do not turn mushy after cooking, unlike the larger ones. So, while picking this monsoon vegetable, choose the purple ones with stripes.
Cut each one in an X-shape without removing the stalk, then soak them in salted water to keep the flesh from discolouring while the masala paste cooks. For the right texture, you have to be generous with oil when it comes to this brinjal recipe, as it is the oil which tends to give this curry its creaminess and also tempers the spice level. Gutti vankaya is usually served with roti or chapati, though it tastes just as good with rice too.
Ingredients
UNITSIngredients
8Brinjal (eggplant), small (For soaking)
1 teaspoonSalt
as needed Water (for soaking)
3 tablespoonsPeanuts (For the masala paste)
2 teaspoonsSesame seeds
1 tablespoonCoriander seeds
1 teaspoonCumin seeds
¼ teaspoonFenugreek (methi) seeds
1 inchCinnamon
2 podsCardamom
4Cloves
2 tablespoonsDry coconut, sliced
1 inchGinger
3 clovesGarlic
¼Onion, sliced
1 teaspoonKashmiri red chilli powder
¼ teaspoonTurmeric
1 teaspoonSalt
¼ cupWater
3 tablespoonsOil (For the curry)
1 teaspoonMustard seeds
1 teaspoonCumin seeds
1Green chilli, slit
a fewCurry leaves
½Onion, sliced
¼ teaspoonTurmeric
½ teaspoonKashmiri red chilli powder
½ cupTamarind extract
2 tablespoonsCoriander leaves, chopped
Plate it up!
Plate it up!
Plating Instructions
Plating Instructions

Serve the brinjal curry hot in a bowl, with the stuffed brinjals poking out of the gravy.
Pairing Instructions
Pairing Instructions

Enjoy the spicy gutti vankaya with a side of roti, rice or paratha.
Garnishing Instructions
Garnishing Instructions

Sprinkle finely chopped coriander leaves over the freshly cooked dish.
A: Gutti vankaya is referred to as a stuffed brinjal curry or stuffed eggplant curry, where this traditional Andhra and Telangana dish is made with small brinjals stuffed with a special masala.






