Bharali Bhendi – Marathi Recipe

Instructions

For Stuffing:

• Heat up a pan on medium heat.
• Add raw peanuts and fry until they get light reddish color.
• When peanuts just begin to turn reddish, add coconut, and mix well.
• Add garlic and fry until coconut gets a light golden color.
• Add sesame seeds and roast on medium heat for just about a minute.
• Turn off the gas and transfer the mixture into a blender pot when it cools down.
• Grind the mixture into a coarse powder. Do not grind into a fine powder.
• Add goda masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and a pinch of sugar.
• You can also add garam masala instead of goda masala.
• You can also add amchur powder in this masla.
• Mix everything well together. Stuffing for bharali bhendi is already.

For Bhaji:

• Take bhendi and wash it really well underwater.
• Dry it completely and cut off its stalk. Cut it into small equal pieces.
• Give a slit across. Do not cut it completely. Just give a slit and divide the bhendi into 2 parts.
• Fill the stuffing in each bhendi really good and keep it aside.
• If some stuffing is left, keep it aside. When bhendi is almost cooked, add this leftover stuffing into bhaji.
• Heat up oil in a pan. You can use less oil if you want.
• When the oil is enough hot, add stuffed bhendi and mix well.
• Cover and cook for just about 5 minutes. Never cook bhendi continuously covered or it will be too sticky.
• After 5 minutes, remove the lid mix well.
• Cook bhendi uncovered on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes.
• Keep on stirring bhendi at the intervals or masala or bhendi will get over-roasted.
• When bhendi is almost cooked, add the leftover masala in it and mix well.
• Fry for another 5 minutes. Turn off the gas and add finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Bharali bhendi is already.
• This bhaji goes well with poli, fulka or chapatti.
• This is also a good lunch box option.