
Andhra Vankaya Pulusu
A tangy Andhra aubergine stew with roasted aubergine in a coconut, yoghurt and tamarind gravy, warmed with mustard, chilli and coriander.
Whole spices for the oil
4 gAdded to the hot oil before the curry leaves and onion (step 3)Ground spices for the sauce
7 gStirred into the coconut paste before the water and tamarind (step 6)Everything else
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C fan (400°F/gas 6). Toss 400 g aubergine batons with 4 tbsp of the 81 g vegetable oil in a roasting tray, then roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blend 80 g coconut and 30 g greek yoghurt to a coarse, thick paste and set aside.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. Add the whole spices for the oil (3.5 g black mustard seed and 0.5 g cinnamon stick) and let them sizzle and crackle for a few seconds.
- Add 2 g curry leaf and 100 g thinly sliced white onion. Fry for 8–10 minutes over a medium heat, stirring, until the onion softens and begins to colour.
- Add 9 g garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
- Lower the heat and stir in the coconut-yoghurt paste and the ground spices for the sauce (2.6 g kashmiri chilli powder, 1.8 g ground coriander and 3 g ground turmeric). Fry for 4–5 minutes, mixing well.
- Add 248 g water, 18 g tamarind paste, 4.2 g sugar and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the roasted aubergine, cover and cook over a low heat for 8 minutes, stirring halfway, until the gravy coats the aubergine and it is cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped coriander to taste.
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Aubergine

Baby aubergineUse the same weight; halve or quarter and cook 2–3 minutes longer. They hold their shape better in the sauce.
Small aubergineUse the same weight; slice or cube to the recipe's size. Similar flesh, slightly firmer.
Round aubergineUse the same weight; cube and salt for 10 minutes if the recipe does. It absorbs oil a little more.

Vegetable oil

Peanut oilUse 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.
GheeUse 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.
Mustard oilUse 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Coconut

Fresh coconutUse equal weight freshly grated or diced. Delivers the identical sweet, milky taste and juicy texture.
Desiccated coconutUse 60% of the weight and soak in hot water or milk for 15 minutes before using. The finished dish will be slightly sweeter and less fibrous.
Dried coconutFinely grate and use 50% of the weight, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes. Yields a firmer chew and a denser, oilier coconut aroma.

Greek yoghurt

Hung natural yoghurtUse the same weight and whisk smooth; same thick consistency.
Full-fat natural yoghurtUse 1.25 times the weight and strain through muslin for 30 minutes; looser if not strained.
Hung yogurtUse the same weight; virtually identical.

Black mustard seed

Mustard seedsUse equal weight. Pop in hot fat until they crackle and turn greyish; yields an almost identical nutty, pungent finish.
Yellow mustard seedsUse equal weight. Fry over medium heat; delivers a milder, sweeter pop and turns bitter quickly if the oil is excessively hot.

Cassia bark

Ceylon cinnamonTrue cinnamon: thinner, papery quills, milder and sweeter. Use about 1.5 times the weight, and taste.
Ground cinnamon (cassia)Use about a third of the weight (0.5 g ground for a 2.5 cm piece), stirred in with the ground spices rather than fried whole, since the powder burns quickly.
Cassia budsUse 60-70% of the weight; stronger and more peppery, so taste before adding more.

Curry leaf

Bay leafFry 1 bay leaf for every 5 curry leaves in hot oil; imparts a warm, woodsy background note, but misses the citrus-sulphury punch entirely.
Lime juiceAdd a small squeeze (about 5 ml per sprig of curry leaves) right before serving; provides sharp citrus top notes without the toasty, herbal aroma.

White onion

Brown onionUse the same weight; it is the closest everyday match, with a slightly deeper sweetness when fried.
Red onionUse the same weight; it is sharper and will tint the dish pink, so cook a little longer for sweetness.
ShallotUse the same weight; it is milder and sweeter, so reduce frying time slightly to avoid burning.

Garlic

Garlic pasteUse equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.
Garlic powderUse 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.
ShallotUse 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Kashmiri chilli powder

Dried kashmiri chilliGrind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.
Red chilli powderUse 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.
Chilli powderUse one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground coriander

Coriander seedsDry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.
Ground cuminUse 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.
Garam masalaUse 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Ground turmeric

Ground gingerUse 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.
SaffronSteep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Water

StockUse the same weight in savoury dishes; it adds body, so adjust salt.
MilkUse the same weight only in doughs or creamy dishes; it makes the result richer.
Coconut waterUse the same weight in curries or rice; it adds sweetness and a faint coconut taste.

Tamarind paste

Tamarind pulpUse 120–150% of the weight and strain; pulp is less concentrated, so simmer a little longer to thicken.
Tamarind extractUse 150–200% of the weight and reduce gently; extract is already diluted.
Lime juiceUse 60–70% of the weight with a pinch of jaggery; sharper, so add near the end off the heat.

Granulated sugar

JaggeryUse equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Coriander

Coriander leafUse equal weight, chopped fresh and stirred in off the heat or used as garnish. Matches the citrus-herbal profile identically.
MintUse 40% to 50% of the weight; chop finely and add at the very end. Adds fresh herbal brightness, but shifts the aroma toward cool menthol.
Similar dishes

- Same: Andhra Vankaya Thakkali shares aubergine, coconut, mustard seed, curry leaves, onion, garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, vegetable oil and salt with this dish.
- Different: Andhra Vankaya Thakkali uses tomato, urad dal, cumin seed, dried red chilli and coriander seeds, and lacks this dish's yoghurt, tamarind paste, cinnamon and sugar, while using more oil and aubergine in a thick tomato-coconut gravy rather than a roasted aubergine coconut-yoghurt-tamarind stew.

- Same: Kutchi Bhagare Baingan shares aubergine, coconut, tamarind, curry leaves, onion, garlic, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli and vegetable oil with this dish.
- Different: Kutchi Bhagare Baingan uses baby aubergines and tomato, and thickens the sauce with poppy seed, sesame and coconut, while this dish uses roasted aubergine in a coconut, yoghurt and tamarind gravy with mustard seed, cinnamon and sugar.

- Same: Rasedar Baigan shares aubergine, coconut, turmeric, chilli powder, vegetable oil and salt with this dish.
- Different: Rasedar Baigan uses coconut milk and asafoetida, while this dish uses grated coconut, yoghurt, tamarind, mustard seed, curry leaf, cinnamon, onion, garlic, ground coriander and sugar; it also uses much less oil and simmers the aubergine rather than roasting it.

- Same: Goan Brinjal Pickle shares aubergine, vegetable oil, garlic, curry leaves, black mustard seeds, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric and salt with this dish.
- Different: Goan Brinjal Pickle uses jaggery or dark brown soft sugar, malt vinegar, dried Kashmiri chillies and cumin seed, and it is a matured pickle with much more oil and no coconut, yoghurt, tamarind, onion, cinnamon or ground coriander.








































