Stuffed eggplants, called bharli vangi, are a much beloved dish in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. This is a dish I grew up eating regularly, thanks to my Maharashtrian aayi, who was a fantastic cook. Small, globe-shaped eggplants are cut down the middle, filled with a spicy coconut-peanut stuffing, and simmered until they are butter-soft and delicious.
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I love eggplants, and they are so good in mouthwatering Indian recipes like baingan bharta and baingan masala. But if I were told I could eat just one eggplant recipe for the rest of my life, I wouldn't hesitate to choose these stuffed eggplants, or bharli vangi.
Bharli vangi (which translates literally to stuffed eggplants or brinjals) is a Maharashtrian delicacy and it is chock-full of all things delicious that belong to this cuisine, like spices, coconut, peanuts and jaggery.
My mother was a Maharashtrian and every Maharashtrian I've ever met has their own special recipe for bharli vangi. This recipe is made my way, the way I love to eat it. It is so, so tasty and even if you don't love eggplants, you will love them instantly in this dish.
The eggplants cook up absolutely sweet, soft and tender, and the potatoes and the peanuts-coconut mixture bring their own delicious textures and flavors to the party.
Recipe card
Indian stuffed eggplant (bharli vangi)
Ingredients
- 6-7 small Indian eggplants
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida or hing
- 1 red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 heaping tsp ginger garlic paste (or blend four cloves garlic and a ½-inch knob of ginger for this recipe)
- 4 yellow potatoes (cut into wedges)
For the stuffing masala
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilli peppers (broken into pieces)
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 medium red onion (chopped)
- ¼ cup raw peanuts
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- ½ cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
- 4 tablespoons cilantro (divided)
- 1 tablespoon goda masala (or garam masala)
- 2 tablespoons jaggery
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne (skip this if very sensitive to heat. You already added the dried red chili peppers)
- 2 red onions (about 2 cups, finely diced, divided)
- 2 medium potatoes (like red potatoes or yellow potatoes. Don't use russets or a starchy potato that will fall apart easily. Cut the potatoes in long slices)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prep the eggplants/brinjals/aubergines
- Make two criss-cross slits in the eggplant, cutting about ¾ths of the way down without going all the way through. The eggplant should remain in a single piece. Immediately place the cut eggplants in a bowl of water to keep them from discoloring. Set aside.
Make the stuffing
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or karahi or skillet. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and dried red chilies, broken into pieces. Saute until the coriander seeds are a light reddish-brown and all the spices are very aromatic, about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Add 1 cup of chopped onions (approx 1 onion) to the wok and saute until the onions become soft.
- Add peanuts and sesame seeds to the wok and saute for a couple more minutes over medium heat. Remove all of this to a plate and set aside to cool.
- In the same wok, without adding more oil, add the grated coconut. Saute, stirring constantly, until the coconut is golden-brown. Don't walk away from it because coconut burns fast. Remove the coconut to the plate with the spices that are cooling.
- Add the cooled spices and coconut to a blender and blend into a coarse paste with just enough water to keep the blades moving. You don't want a runny paste because you need to stuff this into the eggplant.
- Place the blended mixture in a bowl with a cup of chopped onions, half the cilantro, goda masala or garam masala, jaggery, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Add enough salt -- maybe even more than what you would normally be comfortable with, because this is the only time you will season the recipe. The eggplants will absorb some of that salt along with the spices. Mix well.
Stuff and cook the eggplants
- Use your fingers to slightly separate the "petals" of the sliced eggplants and stuff in the spice mixture. Get in as much of the stuffing as you possibly can for best flavor because as the eggplant cooks the stuffing will infuse it with all the spices. Stuffing the eggplants is a slightly messy job but it's also fun!
- In the same wok or skillet add 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and when they sputter add cumin seeds and asafetida. Stir in the last cup of onions. Saute until the onions begin to brown.
- Stir in ginger garlic paste and saute for a couple more minutes.
- Place the stuffed eggplants in the wok in a single layer.
- Mix the sliced potatoes with any leftover masala in the bowl and add to the wok, arranging the potatoes carefully on the sides of and between the eggplant.
- Pour ½ cup of water along the edges of the vegetables. Once the liquid bubbles and boils, cover the pot. Turn heat down to medium low and let the eggplants cook about 15-20 minutes. Add a little water along the edges as needed to ensure the eggplants and potatoes don't stick, or if you want a saucier dish.
- After the eggplants have cooked for 10 minutes, turn them around gently to so they cook evenly on all sides. Use a spoon or small ladle to ensure you don't mash the eggplants or potatoes.
- Once the eggplants are very soft and a knife in the center of one goes cleanly through, turn off the heat. If you didn't add enough salt earlier, you can try and sprinkle some over at this point and gently mix it in. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
Tips for success
- Choose the correct variety of eggplant. This recipe needs small baby Indian eggplants. It won't work with any larger or longer varieties, like Italian eggplant or Japanese and Chinese eggplant. The eggplants should be no more than 2 inches in diameter. If you live outside India, you can find Indian eggplants at any Indian or Asian grocery store (my local H Mart stocks them).
- Chop the onions at once. You will need onions at three different points in this recipe, but chopping them all at once makes prep much easier.
- Use less oil. There has been a long-held belief among Maharashtrian cooks that you need to use tons of oil to make bharli vangi because it creates an attractive "tarri" or a deep-red pool of oil, on top of the cooked dish. I've seen recipes for bharli vangi that dump as much as half to one cup of oil in the pot. While that's all well and good, you don't need that much fat in your body. About 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon, the quantity I use, will yield a delicious -- and attractive -- dish.
- Handle the eggplants gently as they cook. You want the eggplants to be very, very tender when they are done cooking, but you also want them to remain whole for the best presentation. Use a spoon to gently toss them in the sauce as they cook, instead of a ladle. This gives you more control and keeps the eggplant from falling apart in the pan.
How to make bharli vangi
To prep the eggplant, make two criss-cross slits in the eggplant, cutting about ¾ths of the way down without going all the way through.
Immediately place the cut eggplants in a bowl of water to keep them from discoloring.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or karahi or skillet. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and dried red chilies, broken into pieces. Saute until the coriander seeds are a light reddish-brown and all the spices are very aromatic, about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Add 1 cup of chopped onions to the wok and saute until the onions become soft.
Add peanuts and sesame seeds to the wok and saute for a couple more minutes over medium heat. Remove all of this to a plate and set aside to cool.
In the same wok, without adding more oil, add the grated coconut. Saute, stirring constantly, until the coconut is golden-brown. Don't walk away from it because coconut burns fast. Remove the coconut to the plate with the spices. Add the spices and the coconut to a blender and blend into a coarse paste with just enough water to keep the blades moving. You don't a fairly firm, not runny, masala because you need to stuff this into the eggplant.
Place the blended mixture in a bowl with a cup of chopped onions, half the cilantro, goda masala or garam masala, jaggery, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Add enough salt -- maybe even more than what you would normally be comfortable with, because this is the only time you will season the recipe. Mix well.
Use your fingers to slightly separate the "petals" of the sliced eggplants and stuff in the spice mixture. Get in as much of the stuffing as you possibly can for best flavor because as the eggplant cooks the stuffing will infuse it with all the spices. Stuffing the eggplants is a slightly messy job but it's also fun!
In the same wok or skillet add 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and when they sputter add cumin seeds and asafetida.
Stir in the last cup of onions. Saute until the onions begin to brown.
Stir in ginger garlic paste and saute for a couple more minutes.
Place the stuffed eggplants in the wok in a single layer.
Mix the sliced potatoes with any leftover masala in the bowl and add to the wok, arranging the potatoes carefully on the sides of and between the eggplant. Pour ½ cup of water along the edges of the vegetables. Once the liquid bubbles and boils, cover the pot. Turn heat down to medium low and let the eggplants cook about 15-20 minutes. Add a little water along the edges as needed to ensure the eggplants and potatoes don't stick, or if you want a saucier dish.
Occasionally turn the eggplants around to check so they cook evenly, using a spoon or small ladle to ensure you don't mash the eggplants or potatoes. Once the eggplants are very soft and a knife in the center of one goes cleanly through, turn off the heat. If you didn't add enough salt earlier, you can try and sprinkle some over at this point and gently mix it in. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.
Serving suggestions
Serve the bharli vangi with one of the following:
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store in fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat in microwave or on stovetop. Add water if needed and check for salt.
Lina Prema says
Hi, Lina Prema from Milano/Italy. I was so curious to this recipe and as soon as my sister brought four eggplants from supermarket I prepared all ingredients.
My sister doesn't eat red hot chili pepper and cayenne, so i skip them. I do not find at home grated coconut and used grated bread with coconut milk.
I can't use peanuts, so I put some almonds.
Yeah, I did some personal variations.
Anyway, at the end the food was so delicious and tasty, with unique taste of India as I love. We ate it for two days.
thanks for sharing all this knowledge about vegan indian food. I'm choosing something else to do in these days.
virtual hugs
Vaishali says
Hi Lina Prema, that sounds delicious. I am so happy you made the recipe work for you, with the substitutions. Thanks for the feedback. ❤️
Leni says
Oh my gosh... this looks so good! And the documentation is so clear and informative and the photos are so helpful. Thank you Vaishali for the beautiful work you do!
Vaishali says
Thanks Leni!!
Vaishali Honawar says
Gemini, thanks!
Anonymous says
Hi Vaishali, I have been following your blog for a long time but never commented. It's great to have you back 🙂 I missed your posts! Bella
Vaishali says
Bella, thanks for missing me! I do hope to post more frequently from now on. Happy you decided to comment.
Anonymous says
I'm so happy to read a new post from you!
I have been following your blog silently but already cooked several of your recipes which I loved!
Great to "have you back" 😉
Elsi
Vaishali says
Elsi, thanks for your kind words, and for leaving a comment. 🙂 I am happy you've liked the recipes.
Vaishali says
ricetteveg, not nearly as cute as,he is!:-)
ricetteveg.com says
Decider?!? ihih cute! 🙂 Your eggplant recipe is amazing!
Nivedhanams Sowmya says
welcome back Vaishali!! I missed you!! and glad u r back!! the eggplant looks very tempting!
Sowmya
Ongoing Event - CWF - Whole Wheat Flour
Vaishali says
Thanks, Sowmya.
Manasi says
Glad you are back. How are you doing?
You are so right about animal wisdom. We humans should learn from it, when alive, give all your love, there is nothing to give after that person has passed on.
Opie( and other dogs and dare I say, most domestic animals) do just that. Though he must miss her, in his wisdom, he knows, he loved her a lot too and she knew that!
On to the recipe, I am one of those people who dislike eggplants. But I will say this, I love the stuffing/ masala. Even as a child, I would beg my Mom to make double the stuffing, so I could eat it and my parents could enjoy their stuffed eggplant!
I like the use of coconut milk and the stuffing is different from the one I am used to. Now, I have an american pressure cooker, it has a whistle, but it does not 'whistle' like Prestige or 'hawkins', I can never figure out how much time it requires. Do you have any clue?
I want to try this , the husband can eat eggplant, I'll make and eat this stuffing 🙂
Vaishali says
Hi Manasi, not sure abt the cooker because it sounds different from mine. I'd say 10 more minutes after reaching pressure? Sorry if that doesn't help.
I love eggplants but could eat the stuffing by itself too!
Sangita Kalarickal says
Glad you're back.
I missed reading your blog so I made your mango cupcakes this very afternoon! They're always a big hit.
I love Bharli vangi and your recipe is definitely a keeper!
Welcome back!
Vaishali says
Thank, Skay!
Minnie(@thelady8home) says
Amazing!! This looks and sounds Fabulous. 😀 Too good.
BOb smerk says
amazing recipes! your free to checkout my website cheers 😀
caren says
welcome back vaishali...so glad you posted!
Vaishali says
Thanks, Caren. Good to be back.