Ennegayi recipe with step by step photos. Ennegayi is a delicious stuffed brinjal variant from the Karnataka cuisine. Small tender brinjals are stuffed with a spice paste and then simmered. Yes, it takes some efforts to fill the brinjals but the end result is worth all that time. It is also known as badanekayi ennegayi in the Kannada language.
There are many variations of making stuffed brinjals all over India. In Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra, some ingredients used for making this preparation are similar – specifically desiccated coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts. In Maharashtra this eggplant dish variant is called Bharli vangi and in Andhra this variant is known as Gutti vankaya kura.
Brinjal is a favorite veggie in the household. Thus I have shared many Brinjal recipes on the website like:
This Karnataka style brinjal gravy does take some time to prepare, but is delicious. The recipe again was shared by the same reader who shared with me the recipe of Poritha kuzhambu.
In the recipe I have added tamarind and jaggery. But both tamarind and jaggery can be given a skip. We like some tang in brinjal based gravies, so I have added tamarind. Jaggery is used to balance the tang and also gives a nice taste. Lemon juice can also be used instead of tamarind.
This badanekayi ennegayi recipe is also a no onion no garlic recipe.
Ennegayi has a thick gravy and pairs very well with jowar rotis or bajra rotis. You can even have this spiced curry with chapatis or paratha.
How to make badanekayi ennegayi recipe
A) making stuffing masala
1. In a small frying pan or kadai, heat 2 teaspoons oil. Keep the flame to a low and then add ½ tablespoon chana dal.
2. Then add 1 tablespoon of peanuts.
3. Fry on a low flame stirring often.
4. Fry till the chana dal gets golden. The peanuts will also get fried. Roasted chana dal can be used instead of raw chana dal. Add roasted chana dal when you add desiccated coconut.
5. Then add ½ tbsp coriander seeds, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 marathi moggu (optional). Mix well and fry for some seconds till the spices smell aromatic.
6. Then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies (byadagi or Kashmiri chilies) and 5 to 6 curry leaves. Mix well.
7. Next add 5 tablespoons of desiccated coconut or fresh coconut and ½ teaspoon sesame seeds. You can also use niger seeds.
8. Mix very well and roast on a low flame stirring often till the coconut becomes golden. Remove the pan from the stove top and let the mixture cool. Stir often.
9. Once the stuffing masala cools down, then add in a grinder jar.
10. Grind to a fine powder. A slightly coarse powder can be made. I ground a bit too much and hence oil was released from the peanuts and sesame seeds.
11. Take the masala paste in a bowl or plate. Add salt as per taste and mix well.
12. Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water in the grinder jar. Swirl and shake so that the spice paste at the bottom and sides of the jar gets mixed with the water. Keep this aside. for a gravy like consistency, you can add 1 cup water.
Making tamarind pulp
13. Soak 1 teaspoon tamarind in ¼ cup hot water for 20 to 25 minutes.
14. Later squeeze tamarind pulp from the soaked tamarind. Keep aside.
C) chopping, soaking and stuffing brinjals
15. Rinse 250 grams small brinjals or 10 to 12 small brinjals well in water. Take each brinjal and slit it in four sides without cutting it entirely. You can trim the stalks if you want. Pull the cut sides outwards and check for worms if any.
16. Add the brinjals in enough water in which ¼ teaspoon salt in added. This is done so that the brinjals do not get discoloured.
17. Before stuffing brinjals, add them in a colander and drain all the water. Now take each brinjal and with a spoon or your hands, stuff the masala. Stuff all brinjals this way. Keep aside.
Making ennegayi
18. In a heavy kadai heat 2 tablespoons oil. While tempering use a thick bottomed kadai or pan and sauté on a low flame, so that masala does not get burnt. add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds.
19. and let them crackle.
20. Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch of asafoetida. Give a stir.
21. Add the masala filled brinjals. Mix well.
22. Then add the tamarind pulp.
23. Add the masala mixed water from the grinder jar (from step 12 above).
24. Stir and mix gently.
25. Cover the kadai or pan with a lid. On a low flame simmer till the brinjals are tender and cooked.
26. Do check a couple of times when the brinjals are cooking. Give a stir. if the yennegai gravy looks dry, then you can add some more water.
27. Simmer till the brinjals are cooked and tender. Slid a knife through a few brinjals and it should slid easily. Oil will also float on the ennegayi gravy once brinjals are cooked
28. Once the brinjals are cooked, then add ½ teaspoon jaggery or add as required.
29. Mix well but gently and switch off the flame.
30. While serving badanekayi ennegayi you can garnish with coriander leaves. Serve ennegayi with Jowar Roti or Bajra Roti or chapatis. It makes for a filling, healthy and satisfying meal.
If you are looking for more tasty Veggie recipes then do check:
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Ennegayi Recipe | Badanekayi Ennegayi
Ennegayi is a delicious brinjal gravy from the Karnataka cuisine. Small tender brinjals are filled with a spice paste and then simmered. This curry is also called as badanekayi ennegayi.
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 50 mins
other ingredients for ennegayi recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
making stuffing masala for ennegayi recipe
In a small frying pan or kadai, heat 2 teaspoons oil.
Keep the flame to a low and then add ½ tablespoon chana dal and 1 tablespoon peanuts.
Fry on a low flame stirring often.
Fry till the chana dal gets golden. The peanuts will also get fried. Roasted chana dal can be used instead of raw chana dal. Add roasted chana dal when you add desiccated coconut.
Then add ½ tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 marathi moggu (optional).
Mix well and fry for some seconds till the spices smell aromatic.
Then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies (byadagi or kashmiri chilies) and 5 to 6 curry leaves. Mix well.
Next add 5 tablespoon desiccated coconut or fresh coconut and ½ teaspoon sesame seeds. You can also use niger seeds.
Mix very well and roast on a low flame stirring often till the coconut becomes golden. Remove the pan from the stove top and let the mixture cool. Stir often.
Once the stuffing masala cools down, then add in a grinder jar.
Grind to a fine powder. A slightly coarse powder can be made.
Take the masala paste in a bowl or plate.
Add salt as per taste and mix well.
Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water in the grinder jar. Swirl and shake so that the spice paste at the bottom and sides of the jar gets mixed with the water. Keep this aside. for a gravy like consistency, you can add 1 cup water.
chopping, soaking and stuffing brinjals
Rinse 250 grams small brinjals or 10 to 12 small brinjals well in water.
Take each brinjal and slit it in four sides without cutting it entirely. You can trim the stalks if you want. Pull the cut sides outwards and check for worms if any.
Add the brinjals in enough water in which ¼ teaspoon salt in added. This is done so that the brinjals do not get discoloured.
Before stuffing brinjals, in a colander, drain all the water from them. Now take each brinjal and stuff it with the masala paste with a spoon. Stuff all brinjals this way. Keep aside.
making ennegayi recipe
In a heavy kadai heat 2 tablespoons oil. While tempering use a thick bottomed pan and sauté on a low flame, so that masala does not get burnt.
Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch of asafoetida. Give a stir.
Add the masala filled brinjals. Mix well.
Then add the tamarind pulp.
Add the masala mixed water from the grinder jar (from step 14 above).
Stir and mix gently.
Cover the kadai or pan with a lid.
On a low flame simmer till the brinjals are tender and cooked.
Do check a couple of times when the brinjals are cooking. If the brinjal ennegayi gravy looks dry, then you can add some more water.
Simmer till the brinjals are cooked and are tender. Pass a knife through a few brinjals and it should slid easily. Oil will also float on the gravy once brinjals are cooked.
Once the brinjals are done, then add ½ teaspoon jaggery or add as per taste.
Mix well but gently and switch off the flame.
While serving ennegayi you can garnish with coriander leaves. Serve ennegayi with jowar rotis, bajra rotis or chapatis.
- You can adjust the gravy of this dish by adding less or more water, as per your preferences
- The Marathi moggu is an optional ingredient in the stuffing masala. If you are unable to source it, skip using it.
- While you are prepping the brinjals, pull the cut sides outwards and make sure to check for worms, if any.
- Once you are done prepping the brinjals, make sure to place them in salted water. This way you can avoid discoloration of the brinjals. It also helps to remove any bitterness from the brinjals.
Nutrition Facts
Ennegayi Recipe | Badanekayi Ennegayi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 165 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Sodium 152mg7%
Potassium 58mg2%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 113IU2%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 15mg75%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Vitamin E 4mg27%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 152µg38%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 17mg4%
Phosphorus 32mg3%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Badanekayi Ennegayi post from archives first published in August 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
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