Badanekai Yennegai

Couple of months back me and the husband went to a friend's kid's birthday party and on the way we stopped at Artesia for grocery shopping. Since we have limited options for Indian grocery in the city that we live. I spotted jowar flour in the store and wanted to try jolada rotti. And what goes well with jolada rotti than badnekai(brinjal) yennegai. It is 'world' famous in Karnataka and one of my favorite dishes as well. This is the first time I tried my hands at yennegai as my mother-in-law has always made yummy yennegai. Here is her version.


Small Round Brinjal/Eggplant - 4
Oil - 3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Make vertical slits on the egg plant retaining the stalk. Make sure that the egg plant does not break and it remains whole. Set aside.

For the masala paste:
Onion(medium size) - 1 coarsely chopped
Garlic - 1 pod peeled
Ginger - 11/2" piece
Clove - 4-5
Cinnamon stick - 1''
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp/to taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1
Cilantro - few sprigs
Grated coconut/dry coconut powder - 1 cup

Grind all the above ingredients to a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the egg plant fry till the color changes on both the sides. Add the masala paste, salt and required amount of water and pressure cook. Garnish with cilantro.

PS: You need to be careful while frying eggplants as the oil tends to splutter.