Andhra Special "Vankaya Jeedipappu Koora" / Brinjal - Cashew nut Curry

Hello Foodies !! Today I want to introduce you to a special Andhraites all-time favourite curry "Brinjal - Cashew nut Curry". Almost in every marriage function in Andhra Pradesh, you don't miss this Vankaya koora. You can't imagine a marriage menu without this Vankaya Curry in Andhra Pradesh, that's why we call this Brinjal as 'King Of Vegetables'. Whatever the version you can cook with Brinjal, the taste will be ultimate !!! Today I made "Brinjal Cashew nuts Curry". It turned out yummy !!! 

Fresh, tender Brinjals cooked in roasted Cashew, Poppy seeds and Coconut paste given rich flavour and taste. Especially when the brinjals were cooking in roasted masala paste, you will get a nice aroma, that surely makes you feel hungry and mouth-watering :P. Let us go through the recipe now. Before going to the recipe let me tell you one important note in making this curry. "brinjals should be fresh and tender" then only you will get the perfect taste of this curry!!! Ok now!!! Let us check the ingredients required.

Ingredients :
6 medium-sized fresh, tender Brinjals / Vankayalu/ Eggplants
1/4 cup Cashew nuts / Jeedi pappu
5 tablespoons of Poppy seeds / Gasagasaalu
1/4 tbsp of sesame seeds/ Nuvvulu
75 gms of fresh grated coconut/ kobbari thurumu
4 dry red chillies / Yendu mirapakaayalu
1 tablespoon red chilli powder
1/4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
Fresh Coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 green chilli slit
For Tempering :
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tbsp chana dal
1/2 tbsp urad dal
1/4 tbsp mustard seeds
1/4 tbsp cumin seeds
few curry leaves

Preparation :

1. Heat a pan with 1/2 tablespoon oil, add cashew nuts, dry red chillies, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut pieces or kobbari koru, fry them on low flame until a nice aroma comes out. They turn golden brown colour, switch off the flame and shift all the ingredients into a plate and allow it to cool for some time.
2. Slit the brinjals in the middle and cut them into small pieces and put them in cold salt water to avoid them from getting bitter and dark.
3. Heat a pan with sufficient oil, add slitted brinjals, sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder, close with a lid and cook for just 5-10 minutes until brinjals turn tender and soft.
4. Meantime you can prepare masala paste, take a mixie jar, add fried cashew nuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut pieces, dry red chillies and grind all ingredients into a fine powder. Add some water and a little bit of salt to this powder and grind again to make a smooth fine paste. Paste should not be runny.
5. Now take another pan with 1table spoon of oil, add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilli slit, curry leaves fry them till they turn a golden colour. Now add ginger - garlic paste, fry till the raw smell of ginger -garlic paste goes away.
6. To the same pan add well-cooked brinjal slices, cook them for 5 minutes.
7. Now add fine smooth masala paste, red chilli powder to the same pan and cook for 5 more minutes. A nice aroma comes out at this moment.
8. Heat a small pan with ghee, fry cashew nuts to golden colour.
9.  Hot spicy and very tasty Vankaya - Jeedipappu Koora is ready!! Garnish it with fresh, finely chopped coriander leaves.
10. Transfer this to a serving bowl, garnish with fried cashew nuts and serve hot with hot steamed rice, ghee!!

It tastes great with hot plain rice and ghee, but you can try this curry with roti or chapati too.