I am a big fan of stuffed aubergine or is popularly known “bharli vaangi”. It is made by cooking aubergines stuffed with a masala of coconut, onions and spices. aubergine/Brinjals used are stuffed with a freshly-ground masala, made of coconut, peanut, jaggery, spices and cooked together for a while with a little masala and traditional tempering.
What are dried shrimps?
Dried shrimp are shrimp that have been sun-dried and shrunk to thumbnail size. They are used in many East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian cuisines, imparting a unique umami taste. A handful of shrimp is generally used for dishes.
A friend of mine who belongs to an aagri-koli community introduced me to this interesting recipe. They often make this recipe and enjoy with their family over lunch or dinner.
Who are Kolis?
Head covered with monkey cap and women endorsed with gold, Koli fisher-folk were one of the most ancient inhabitants of Mumbai. Kolis left their stamp on the city in nomenclature: their Kolibhat became today’s Colaba, their Palva Bunder became today’s Apollo Bunder, and their goddess Mumbadevi became today’s Mumbai.
A Koli taat will always contain their prized seafood, with rice and chavlachi roti (rice flour roti), “which is shaped by lubricating with water and traditionally roasting on a terracotta tava. It makes all the difference in taste when done on a wood fire. Kolis only eat pure vegetarian food on fasting days. “While prawns and pomfret are glamorised by restaurants, Kolis enjoy all types of seafood. Their favourites are black pomfret, lobster, anchovies, stingray and baby squid. Some seafood is especially significant. For instance, tiny shrimp stir fry is a must at a wedding breakfast.
Now to begin with our stuffed brinjal with dried shrimps-
Stuffed Aubergine with Dried Shrimps
Ingredients
- 100 gms dried shrimps
- 8-9 nos. small Brinjal/ Eggplant
- 1 no tomato finely chopped
- 2 no. onion finely chopped
- 2 no. Green Chillies
- ½ cup finely chopped coriander
- 1½ tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp turmeic
- 2 tbsp desicated dry coconut
- 4 nos. kokum
- 5 tbsp oil
- as per taste salt
Instructions
- Slit brinjal/eggplant into four and soak them in slat water so that they do not turn black.
- Wash dried shrimp in lukewarm water.
- In a pan add oil and saute onions in it. Once the onion turns transclucent, add ginger garlic paste and stir well.
- Add chili, corriande and mix well. Once everything is combined well, add red chilli powder, turmeic powder, desiccated dried cocnut and salt as per taste.
- Mix all these ingredients well.
- Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. once the tomaotes incorporates well into the mixture add dired shrimps.
- Once the dried shrimps mixes well into the masala, add ½ cup water and let the flavours simmer. Add kokum petals to the mixture. Cook dried shrimps well so that it does stay uncooked.
- Place lid and cook the mixture for atleast 5 mins. Let the water simmer well and the mixture become dry.
- Cool down the mixture so that we can stuff this mixture into our auberinge.
- Stuff all the aubergine with prepared mixture.
- Once done, add stuffed brinjals to the pan onto which we made the mixture in. Add water into it and place lid on the top
- let it brinjals cook for atleast 5 mins.
- After 5 mins turn brinjals so as to cook from the other side. Add water again and let it boil for sometime.
- Siwtch off gas after 5 mins. Your stuffed aubergine with dried shrimps is ready to be served.
You can pair this recipe with Onion Chutney.
Do Checkout our collection of non vegetarian recipes. Please like, share and comment if you like our recipes.
The information is put down so naturally, makes it interesting to read. Keep coming with more such facts and stories and unveil the truths lying in front of us . 🙌🏽