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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes

    Bharli Vangi (Stuffed Indian Eggplants)

    Posted: Nov 3, 2012 ยท Updated: Aug 16, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    Marathi-style Bharli Vangi is a much-loved delicacy in western India. Small, round eggplants are stuffed with a spicy coconut-peanut mixture. Serve with rice and dal for the perfect Indian meal.

    Photo of stuffed Indian eggplant on a white dish.

    Last week, browsing through a small but lively farmer's market in Northwest DC with my friend Roshani, I came across some gorgeous little round eggplants: the kind we Maharashtrians use to make Bharli Vangi, or stuffed eggplants.

    This is my favorite way to eat eggplants-- and Desi's too. This time I cooked the eggplants in a pressure cooker. This is a technique often used to cook Bharli Vangi and I am not taking credit for devising it, but it's not one I had ever used: instead, I always liked roasting my eggplant in a saucepan on the stovetop so it got a little charred on the outside.

    But the pressure-cooker method is less work, frankly, because you don't have to watch and turn the eggplants every few minutes: instead, you can just put everything in and let it all cook by itself. The resulting eggplant, although it doesn't have the slight char that I love, makes up by being absolutely butter-soft, melt-in-the-mouth delicious.

    My recipe varies a bit from the traditonal: I use coconut milk instead of shredded coconut because it helps hold the stuffing together. This can also be a healthy substitution because many cooks use oil to keep the stuffing together. I also add some fenugreek seeds because their pleasant bitterness help balance out the sweetness of the jaggery and the spice of the chillies.

    Here's the recipe-- it's great with rotis, or with some vegan curd-rice. Enjoy, all!

    More vegan vegetable side dishes

    • Eggplant in Peanut Curry Sauce
    • Baingan Bharta
    • Aloo Gobi
    • Bhindi Masala
    Photo of stuffed Indian eggplants in a spicy gravy on a white square plate.

    Bharli Vangi (Stuffed Eggplants)

    Marathi-style Bharli Vangi is a much-loved delicacy in western India. Small, round eggplants are stuffed with a spicy coconut-peanut mixture. Serve with rice and dal for the perfect Indian meal.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Vegetable side
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Bharleli Vangi, Bharli Vangi
    Prep Time: 30 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 265kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 8 small Indian eggplants (Leave the stems on and make a vertical slit with a sharp knife from the top of the eggplant almost all the way, but not quite, to the stem end. You want the eggplant to remain in one piece. Now turn the eggplant and make another similar cut at a right angle so the eggplant looks like a closed flower bud with four petals.)
    • 4 yellow potatoes (ut into wedges)
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

    For the stuffing masala

    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • ยฝ cup raw peanuts
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • ยผ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • 2 red chili peppers (stems removed and broken into small pieces)
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
    • ยผ cup jaggery (can substitute sugar)
    • ยฝ teaspoon turmeric
    • ยผ cup coconut milk
    • Salt to taste
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    Instructions

    • Prepare the masala ingredients by heating the oil. Add peanuts, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chili peppers to the pan and saute until the peanuts are a couple of shades darker.
    • Place the ingredients in a blender, add the ginger garlic paste, jaggery, turmeric and coconut milk and process into a coarse paste. It should clump together when you press it in your fist, which will make stuffing the eggplants easier.
    • Divide the stuffing equally into eight portions and stuff between the petals of each eggplant. Set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
    • Add the potatoes and stir-fry for a couple of minutes or until they start to color slightly.
    • Add the eggplants one by one-- place them in a single layer, if possible.
    • Add ยพ cup of water to the pressure cooker and sprinkle on some salt for taste (not too much, because there's already salt in the stuffing, but you want a little something for the potatoes).
    • Stir the contents of the pressure cooker gently so everything looks well-distributed.
    • Click on the pressure cooker lid. My pressure cooker is different from the typical Indian ones that come with a "whistle" that goes off when it reaches pressure. Itย has a little button that pops up when the cooker reaches pressure. Once it did, I lowered the heat let the eggplant cook for another 10 minutes. If you have the cooker with the whistle, you might need to go through a couple more whistles to get the same result.
    • Once the steam inside the pressure cooker has dissipated, open the pressure cooker and garnish the eggplant, if you like, with some coriander.
    • Serve hot with dal.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2eggplants | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gemini Xettigar

      December 07, 2012 at 11:34 am

      Sorry to hear about Lucy. I know how it feels to loose a beloved companion animal with whom you have shared your life.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        December 21, 2012 at 5:04 pm

        Gemini, thanks!

        Reply
    2. Anonymous

      November 15, 2012 at 2:03 pm

      Hi Vaishali, I have been following your blog for a long time but never commented. It's great to have you back ๐Ÿ™‚ I missed your posts! Bella

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 18, 2012 at 8:31 pm

        Bella, thanks for missing me! I do hope to post more frequently from now on. Happy you decided to comment.

        Reply
    3. Anonymous

      November 14, 2012 at 10:24 am

      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" ๐Ÿ˜‰
      Elsi

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 18, 2012 at 8:29 pm

        Elsi, thanks for your kind words, and for leaving a comment. ๐Ÿ™‚ I am happy you've liked the recipes.

        Reply
    4. Vaishali

      November 07, 2012 at 12:52 am

      ricetteveg, not nearly as cute as,he is!:-)

      Reply
    5. ricetteveg.com

      November 06, 2012 at 8:44 am

      Decider?!? ihih cute! ๐Ÿ™‚ Your eggplant recipe is amazing!

      Reply
    6. Nivedhanams Sowmya

      November 05, 2012 at 7:18 am

      welcome back Vaishali!! I missed you!! and glad u r back!! the eggplant looks very tempting!
      Sowmya
      Ongoing Event - CWF - Whole Wheat Flour

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 07, 2012 at 12:51 am

        Thanks, Sowmya.

        Reply
    7. Manasi

      November 04, 2012 at 3:27 am

      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 ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 07, 2012 at 12:49 am

        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!

        Reply
    8. Sangita Kalarickal

      November 04, 2012 at 3:21 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 07, 2012 at 12:51 am

        Thank, Skay!

        Reply
    9. BOb smerk

      November 04, 2012 at 1:56 am

      amazing recipes! your free to checkout my website http://allgonevegan.com cheers ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
    10. caren

      November 04, 2012 at 12:00 am

      welcome back vaishali...so glad you posted!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 07, 2012 at 12:50 am

        Thanks, Caren. Good to be back.

        Reply
    11. Minnie(@thelady8home)

      November 04, 2012 at 2:48 am

      Amazing!! This looks and sounds Fabulous. ๐Ÿ˜€ Too good.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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