Brinjal fry (Andhra style vankaya fry)

Brinjal fry is a side dish from andhra cuisine made by stir frying eggplants with spices & herbs. This andhra style brinjal fry is delicious, flavorful & can be made in minutes. It is known as vankaya vepudu in telugu & is one of the most commonly made side dishes to serve with plain rice & ghee.

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Andhra cuisine is popular for its spicy, flavorful & nutty dishes. This brinjal fry is made in numerous ways & each family has their own recipe. It is also served as a side dish in Andhra meals in restaurants.

However most foods in authentic andhra restaurants are super hot & spicy, including this brinjal fry.

At home we do not eat very hot & spicy foods as my young kids still cannot tolerate the heat. So this andhra style brinjal fry is not only healthy but is also a super delicious one with bursting flavors.

Brinjal fry goes well with plain rice and Rasam or Sambar . It just takes about 25 minutes to prepare.

This recipe is my own, for variations you can read the tips below.

You can check this collection of Brinjal recipes
Baingan Bharta
Vangi bath
Stuffed brinjal curry
Brinjal chutney

How to make brinjal fry

1. Wash and cut brinjal to pieces. Add them to slightly salted water. This prevents the eggplants from discoloring. I add about 1/4 tsp salt to 2 cups water. If you leave them too long in the water they will soak up the salt.

2. Add oil to a hot pan, add mustard and cumin. When they begin to splutter, add ginger garlic paste, green chili and fry until the raw smell goes away.

3. Add chopped brinjal. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Fry for 2 to 3 mins. Then cover and cook on a low flame until soft.

4. When the brinjal pieces are tender, then add curry leaves & red chili powder. Fry for 2 to 3 mins. Check the salt and add more if needed. Cover and cook for another 2 to 3 mins. Then sprinkle crushed peanuts & stir fry until aromatic.

5. Switch off the stove. When it cools down then add some lemon juice & mix.

Serve brinjal fry with rice, ghee and sambar.

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Tips to make brinjal fry

1. Always choose tender brinjals that are fresh without any bruises. Also after chopping brinjals keep them in salted water until they are used to cook.
2. I have used a handful of roasted peanuts which not only perk up the nutrition values but also adds a nutty aroma to the dish. However you can skip them completely.
3. We also add some tender green peas to the brinjal fry. You can just add them to the pan along with eggplants. If the peas are too tender then add them once the brinjals are soft cooked.
4. I have used garam masala to spice up the dish, however you can also add little sambar powder if you do not have garam masala.

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Recipe card

Brinjal fry

Brinjal fry is a simple side dish made by stir frying eggplants with spices & curry leaves. This Andhra style brinjal fry tastes delicious and can be served with rice or roti.

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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings3

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

• ▢ 250 grams brinjal (vankaya, eggplants)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Oil
• ▢ 3 green chilies slit (adjust to taste)
• ▢ 1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 2 chopped garlic cloves
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice (refer notes)

Spices for brinjal fry

• ▢ ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• ▢ ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala or idli podi

optional

• ▢ 3 tablespoons peanuts or ½ cup fresh/ frozen green peas

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Instructions

Preparation

• ▢
  This brinjal fry recipe can be made without peanuts too but they add great taste. This step is optional. If you like to use peanuts for this recipe, dry roast them until golden and aromatic.
• ▢
  Cool & crush them coarsely either in a mortar pestle or mixer.
• ▢
  Add ¼ tsp salt to a bowl filled with 2 cups water.
• ▢
  Rinse brinjals & slice them or cut to desired sizes. I chop them to 1 inch pieces.
• ▢
  Add them to slightly salted water. I add about ¼ teaspoon salt to 2 cups water. This prevents them from discoloring.

How to make brinjal fry

• ▢
  Heat oil in a wide pan. Add cumin, mustard, and let them splutter.
• ▢
  Then add the green chilies. Fry till they turn pale in color.
• ▢
  Add ginger garlic paste, saute quickly until aromatic.
• ▢
  Now add chopped brinjal, salt & turmeric. Toss on a medium flame for 2 to 3 mins.
• ▢
  Then cover and cook till soft on a low flame stirring in between.
• ▢
  Add curry leaves, red chili powder & garam masala or sambar powder or idli podi.
• ▢
  Stir everything well & fry for 2 to 3 mins.
• ▢
  Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame. Sprinkle crushed peanuts and stir.
• ▢
  When the brinjal fry cools down a bit, pour lemon juice if desired.
• ▢
  Serve brinjal fry or vankaya fry with rice.

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Notes

If you are allergic to eggplants, try using lemon juice. It helps to prevents skin itch that is caused by eating eggplants.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts

Brinjal fry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 167 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 198mg9%

Potassium 242mg7%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 180IU4%

Vitamin C 21.5mg26%

Calcium 14mg1%

Iron 0.6mg3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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