Baby eggplants are sautéed in a spicy onion, tomato gravy. Recipe takes minimal preparation and spices. Great side dish to serve with either rice or roti and dal for a wholesome meal.
About the recipe
I’m a big time eggplant love and am always looking for new eggplant recipes. Be it Indian or International, I have tried quite a few amazing eggplant recipes. Like this vankaya chikkudukaya kura or this gutti vankaya are some of my all time favorites. This muvva vankaya curry recipe is from a Telugu cooking show. Muvva means pearl and vankaya means eggplant in Telugu. So, this curry is made with smallish baby eggplants simmered in a spicy onion-tomato gravy. We rarely get really small baby eggplants here in the US. So when I see them in Indian grocery, I make sure to buy them to make this muvva vankaya koora. The best part of this baby eggplant curry is that there is no stuffing or grinding involved to make this dish. It tastes great with rice and roti.
Ingredients
For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below. Here are the ingredients you need to make this Andhra baby aubergine curry:
Baby eggplant - look for small-ish, evenly sized ones. Either purple or green ones will work in this recipe. Onion & tomato Ginger-garlic paste Curry leaves, green chilies and cilantro Spices - turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin & coriander Salt
Instructions
For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below. Here is the easy recipe for the South Indian muvva vankaya kura: Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the chopped onions, green chilies, ginger+garlic paste and cook till the onions are lightly browned around the edges, about 5~6 minutes. Trim the stems and make a ‘+’ cut on the base. Soak them in salted water. Add the eggplants, cover and cook till they are tender. Next add the chopped tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Add water if the curry looks too dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with rice or roti.
Expert Tips
Use small-ish, evenly sized baby eggplant. Either purple or green ones will work in this recipe. I like keeping the crown on the eggplants. But feel free to remove them if you not a fan of it. Use ½ cup of tomato puree instead of fresh tomatoes. You can make the same recipe with globe eggplant as well. It won’t be muvva vankaya curry, of course, but it will still taste amazing. If you like, add more water to make a thinner gravy for the curry. Leftover curry can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You might also like
Here are some Andhra side dishes that you might like to serve along side muvva vankaya kura: I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don’t forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Recipe Card
