Gutti Vankaya Koora

The Gutti Vankaya Koora is a stuffed brinjal curry from Andhra Pradesh, and pairs well with rice or roti. It takes some time to prepare and includes a range of ingredients. One needs brinjals, ginger garlic paste, onions, tomato, green chilli, lemon juice, coriander leaves, curry leaves, mustard, cumin, and oil. For the roasting, one will also require peanuts, coconut, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom, and red chillies.

Brinjals originated in India, and many believe it was used during prehistoric times. It's name Vartaku, is believed to be a pre-Sanskrit word, possibly derived from the Mundas’ language. The 16th century treatise Krishnamangala states that brinjal was one of the dishes Vrindavan’s gopis cooked at Lord Krishna’s request. Several folk tales also mention the vegetable. In one story about Tanali Raman, its hypnotic and psychotic properties are mentioned. A story about Akbar and Birbal uses the brinjal to explain how the latter’s loyalties lie with the emperor.

A story from Turkey mentions brinjal as well. The story goes that a priest married a woman whose rich father earned his wealth through working as an olive oil merchant. Her dowry included 12 jars of olive oil. For 12 nights she makes him dishes of brinjals cooked in olive oil, but on the 13th night could present nothing. When the Imam asked why, she told him she had run out of olive oil, hearing which he fainted. The dish then came to be known as Imam Baldi or Imam Bayildi, which means The Fainting Priest.

It's this famous ingredient, loved all the world over, and originating from India, that the Gutti Vankaya Koora celebrates.