Menthi Vankaya Recipe - Andhra Style Fenugreek Spiced Baingan
A vegetarian Andhra recipe with small brinjal (baingan / eggplant), tablespoons tamarind paste - thick, water. Ready in 20 min, serves 2.
Curated bySuresh Naidu🇮🇳
Instructions
31 steps- 1
To begin making the Menthi Vankaya recipe, in a pan, dry roast ingredients mentioned under methi karam/spice powder which includes coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies and raw peanuts
white urad dal (split)(1 teaspoon)tablespoons coriander (dhania) seeds(2)chana dal (bengal gram dal)(1 tablespoon)white urad dal (split)(1 tablespoon)sesame seeds (til seeds)(1 tablespoon)cumin seeds (jeera)(1 teaspoon)methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)(1/2 teaspoon)dry red chillies - adjustable(3)tablespoons raw peanuts (moongphali) - optional(2) - 2
This will take about 2 minutes
- 3
Once everything is roasted well, cool it completely and grind into fine powder using a mixer grinder
- 4
If you are adding peanuts, add them last after all the other spices are finely powdered
tablespoons raw peanuts (moongphali) - optional(2) - 5
Otherwise, the powder becomes oily
- 6
Keep the powder aside to stuff in the brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 7
Next, wash and pat dry the small brinjals thoroughly
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 8
Slit brinjals in such a way that you see an X at the base
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 9
Be careful not to slit open them completely
- 10
In a bowl, add water with salt and immerse the brinjals in salt water for 5 minutes
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)water(1/4 cup)salt - to taste - 11
In a heavy bottomed pan, add half of the water, required salt and gently drop brinjals when water starts to boil
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)water(1/4 cup)salt - to taste - 12
Make sure there is only one layer of brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 13
Do not put one brinjal over the other
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 14
Cook covered until brinjals are 80% done
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 15
This will not take more than 6 to 10 minutes
- 16
Now, add tamarind paste
tablespoons tamarind paste - thick(2) - 17
If there is not enough water left, add some more water
water(1/4 cup) - 18
Mix and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes until brinjals absorb all the salt and tamarind flavours
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)tablespoons tamarind paste - thick(2)salt - to taste - 19
Remove from pan, cool them completely
- 20
Drain the remaining water
water(1/4 cup) - 21
In the meantime, take a regular sewing thread, measure the length equal to twice the diameter of brinjals and cut into 10 or 12 pieces
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 22
After the brinjals are cooled down, stuff them with spice powder and wrap the thread around them gently
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 23
This ensures the spice powder does not come out while frying
- 24
Heat oil in the same wide pan, fry urad dal until golden and add curry leaves
white urad dal (split)(1 teaspoon)sprig curry leaves(1)white urad dal (split)(1 tablespoon) - 25
Fry until crisp and gently place stuffed and secured brinjals in the pan
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 26
Fry the brinjals until they are completely cooked
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 27
Sprinkle the remaining spice powder on the top
- 28
Turn the brinjals gently using a fork and and a spoon
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 29
Do not use a ladle as it may break the brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 30
Once the brinjals are soft and cooked properly, remove the thread carefully and serve hot
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 31
Serve Menthi Vankaya along with Mixed Vegetable Sambar, Steamed Rice and Elai Vadam for a satisfying South Indian lunch with your family
Rate this recipe
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Menthi Vankaya Recipe - Andhra Style Fenugreek Spiced Baingan
A vegetarian Andhra recipe with small brinjal (baingan / eggplant), tablespoons tamarind paste - thick, water. Ready in 20 min, serves 2.
Curated bySuresh Naidu🇮🇳
Estimated Nutrition Highlights
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Directions
31 steps- 1
To begin making the Menthi Vankaya recipe, in a pan, dry roast ingredients mentioned under methi karam/spice powder which includes coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies and raw peanuts
white urad dal (split)(1 teaspoon)tablespoons coriander (dhania) seeds(2)chana dal (bengal gram dal)(1 tablespoon)white urad dal (split)(1 tablespoon)sesame seeds (til seeds)(1 tablespoon)cumin seeds (jeera)(1 teaspoon)methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)(1/2 teaspoon)dry red chillies - adjustable(3)tablespoons raw peanuts (moongphali) - optional(2) - 2
This will take about 2 minutes
- 3
Once everything is roasted well, cool it completely and grind into fine powder using a mixer grinder
- 4
If you are adding peanuts, add them last after all the other spices are finely powdered
tablespoons raw peanuts (moongphali) - optional(2) - 5
Otherwise, the powder becomes oily
- 6
Keep the powder aside to stuff in the brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 7
Next, wash and pat dry the small brinjals thoroughly
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 8
Slit brinjals in such a way that you see an X at the base
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 9
Be careful not to slit open them completely
- 10
In a bowl, add water with salt and immerse the brinjals in salt water for 5 minutes
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)water(1/4 cup)salt - to taste - 11
In a heavy bottomed pan, add half of the water, required salt and gently drop brinjals when water starts to boil
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)water(1/4 cup)salt - to taste - 12
Make sure there is only one layer of brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 13
Do not put one brinjal over the other
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 14
Cook covered until brinjals are 80% done
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 15
This will not take more than 6 to 10 minutes
- 16
Now, add tamarind paste
tablespoons tamarind paste - thick(2) - 17
If there is not enough water left, add some more water
water(1/4 cup) - 18
Mix and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes until brinjals absorb all the salt and tamarind flavours
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10)tablespoons tamarind paste - thick(2)salt - to taste - 19
Remove from pan, cool them completely
- 20
Drain the remaining water
water(1/4 cup) - 21
In the meantime, take a regular sewing thread, measure the length equal to twice the diameter of brinjals and cut into 10 or 12 pieces
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 22
After the brinjals are cooled down, stuff them with spice powder and wrap the thread around them gently
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 23
This ensures the spice powder does not come out while frying
- 24
Heat oil in the same wide pan, fry urad dal until golden and add curry leaves
white urad dal (split)(1 teaspoon)sprig curry leaves(1)white urad dal (split)(1 tablespoon) - 25
Fry until crisp and gently place stuffed and secured brinjals in the pan
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 26
Fry the brinjals until they are completely cooked
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 27
Sprinkle the remaining spice powder on the top
- 28
Turn the brinjals gently using a fork and and a spoon
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 29
Do not use a ladle as it may break the brinjals
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 30
Once the brinjals are soft and cooked properly, remove the thread carefully and serve hot
small brinjal (baingan / eggplant)(10) - 31
Serve Menthi Vankaya along with Mixed Vegetable Sambar, Steamed Rice and Elai Vadam for a satisfying South Indian lunch with your family
Rate this recipe
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