Vaingana ambat recipe - Badnekayi saaru - Konkani style brinjal curry

Vaingana ambat recipe - Vaingana ambat is a very popular curry in coastal karnataka made using small white brinjals. Coconut and toor dal are basic ingredients for the gravy. This tasty curry is a delicious accompaniment to hot rice. Ambat the konkani word means curry in english. It is also called as saaru in kannada.This is a thin version of curry, but you can increase the quantity of toor dal and coconut to make it thick. You can make similar type of curry using potatoes and green peas. But the brinjal curry has different flavor and taste as it gets flavor from fresh baby brinjals.

Vaingana Ambat Recipe - Brinjal Curry Recipe

Prep time : 15 mins
Cook time : 15 mins
Total time : 30 mins
Recipe type : Curry-Gravy
Cuisine : Konkani
Yield : Serves 2
Author : Vidya Chandrahas

Ingredients

• 4 small brinjals / eggplants, cut into lengthwise
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 large sized onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup cooked toor dal(optional)
• 10-12 curry leaves
• Oil as required
• Salt to taste

Grind to paste

• 1/2 cup grated fresh coconut
• 1 + 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, fried in little oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, spluttered in oil
• 10 fenugreek seeds, fried
• 4 red chilies, fried (preferably byadgi)
• 2 garlic flakes / lasun
• 1 cloves  and 1/6 " cinnamon, fried in a drop of oil
• 1/2  tsp turmeric powder
• 1 small grape sized tamarind (optional)

Method

1. Combine together the grind to paste ingredients and grind them to a smooth paste using some water to make the masala paste for curry.
2. Heat some oil in a pan. Add half of the chopped onion in it. Fry till translucent. Add the masala paste, few curry leaves and salt in it. 
3. Cook together the brinjal,  remaining  onion, and tomato in one cup of water till they turn soft. Use boiled vegetable water to make the gravy of curry consistency. Bring it to boil.
4. Once the masala paste  in step 2 boils, add boiled  vegetables in it. 
5. Add cooked dal if you like it. Mix gently with a spoon.  Add more water if required.
6. Once the curry  boils,  switch off the flame. Serve hot with steamed  rice.

Vaingana ambat - step by step pictures

1.  Mix the ingredients mentioned under " Grind to paste" together and put them in a mixer jar. Grind it to a smooth paste with some water.

2.  Heat some oil in a pan. Add half of the chopped onion in it. Fry till translucent. Add the masala paste, few curry leaves and salt in it. 

3.  Cook together the brinjal,  remaining  onion, and tomato in one cup of water till they turn soft. 

4.  Use boiled vegetable water to make the gravy of curry consistency. Bring it to boil. 

5.  Once the masala paste  in step 2 boils, add boiled vegetables in it. Add cooked dal if you like it. Mix gently with a spoon. Add more water if required.

6.  Once the curry  boils,  switch off the flame. Serve the vaingana ambat hot with steamed  rice.