Egg Plant Dried Yellow Pea(Vatana) Curry

Dried peas are the perfect choice that are available in any time of the year.Dried peas, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only can dried peas help lower cholesterol, they are also of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.Dried peas also provide good to excellent amounts of five important minerals, three B-vitamins, and protein.They are a good source of potassium which may decrease the growth and development of blood vessel plaques and is also good for lowering high blood pressure.

                                         Eggplant or Brinjal, is a very low calorie vegetable and has healthy nutrition profile; good news for weight watchers! 

 I cook all types of eggplant,mostly I go for the small purple ones. I usually  cook dried peas once in a month  with variations  potatoes or sometimes brinjal or just like that.This recipe most popular in east India as they eat dried peas cooked with some spices as evening snack.Most of my recipes I learnt from my Husband who is a fabulous cook.This Is one of  our favorite among vegetarian..Here my recipe dried peas with eggplant or brinjal.

Ingredients:

• Egg plant or brinjal 4(small purple brinjal if it is longer one take 2)
• Vatana or batani 1 cup
• one big onion
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tspn
• Jeera 1/2 tspn
• green chillies 3 to 4
• red chilli powder 1 tspn
• ginger garlic crushed 2 tspns
• turmeric 1/2 tspn
• garam masala 1 tspn
• salt to taste.

Procedure:

• Soak vatana 7 to 8 hrs in water preferably over night.Next day put them in pressure cooker atleast for 2 whistles.(You can check it if it not,cooked well wait for 2 more whistles,remember it shouldnt be mashed)Drain it and keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan then add mustard seeds,jeera,chopped onions,green chilli,fry well until onions are transparent.Then add crushed ginger garlic,fry few mins.
• Add chopped brinjal pieces ,turmeric,salt fry cover the lid fry well.
• When the brinjal is almost 70% cooked add cooked vatana,redchilli powder to the pan and fry few more mins.
• Add little water around 1 or 2 cups(I added  water which is left after cooking vatana in cooker) for the gravy and cover it cook few more mins (5 to 6 mins)
• Lastly add Garam masala(this is very important to get very good taste,I added my home made garam masala.You can add store bought too) and cook 1 or 2 mins.
• Now switch off the stove and sprinkle some coriander leaves on top of it.Enjoy with rice or roti or dosa.
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