Badanekai (brinjal) gojju or brinjal curry is a very popular curry prepared in Karnataka.  It is spicy, sweet and sour curry and goes well with rice as well as chapatis.  This brinjal curry is a Karnataka speciality and prepared with brinjal, tamarind and a mix of Indian spices.  It can also be made from ladiesfinger or okra instead of brinjal which also tastes very good. 

HOW TO MAKE SOUTH INDIAN BRINJAL CURRY OR BADANEKAYI GOJJU RECIPE

PREPARATION

Wash the brinjals thoroughly in running water.  Chop them into vertical pieces and immerse them in water.  This helps to avoid discolouration of brinjals.

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for half an hour.   Then squeeze the tamarind to a thick pulp.  Strain the pulp and get the tamarind juice or water. Add little more water to the tamarind pulp if required to get the consistency. Discard the pulp completely.  Keep the tamarind juice or water ready.

Heat  2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai or pan on a medium flame.  Add coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, red chillies, and saute till the dals turn light brown.  Add sesame seeds and cumin seeds and saute for few seconds.  Remove all the ingredients in a mixer grinder.  Add grated coconut to this mixture and grind to a smooth paste by adding little water. Keep the paste aside.

METHOD

Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the same kadai or pan.  Add chopped brinjals and saute till golden brown.  Add the tamarind juice and cook till the raw smell of the tamarind goes away.

Now add the ground paste and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.  Add curry leaves and salt and mix well.  Add water if required to adjust the consistency.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes to get the right consistency. Normally, gojju is prepared in a medium consistency neither too thin nor too thick.

Lastly add jaggery and mix well.  Switch off the flame.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add mustard seeds and hing.  Once the seeds stops spluttering, add curry leaves.  Add this seasoning to the curry and mix well.

Gojju is ready to be served.  Serve gojju hot with a drizzle of ghee alongwith steamed rice or chapatis as desired by you.

NOTES/TIPS

• Gojju tastes best the second day when the flavour settles down.  It can be stored for upto 3-4 days in a refrigerator.
• Gojju can be prepared with bittergourd or ladiesfinger too instead of brinjals.