Masale Wangi Pithala Bhakri | Stuffed Aubergine, Spicy gram flour curry, millets flatbread.
When mom in law is in town, this is the kind of deliciousness we savour. She was born and raised in the vidharbh of Maharashtra and her food is strongly influenced by that region. Her recipes are so fuss-free and yum, and really easy to make. I am blessed to learn the basics of cooking from her. This is a traditional, vegetarian and wholesome Maharashtrian meal. Apart from the other delicacies like misal pav, vada pav, this is another most popular food from the region.
How to make this?
Masale wangi –
In a bowl mix together for the masala – 1/4 cup finely chopped onions, finely chopped 3-4 green chillies, minced 6-7 garlic pearls, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chilli power, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp crushed roasted peanuts, 2 tsps hot groundnut oil.
Wash and make a criss cross slit at the bottom of 10-12 small aubergines. Stuff the masala in the aubergines. Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds. Add in the aubergines. Mix in 4-5 curry leaves. Mix in 1/4 cup water and cover, and let it cook on medium low flame for 3-4 mins. Stir and cover again. Cook for another 4-5 mins. Uncover and cook for 2 mins. Check if the aubergines are cooked through. Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves.
Pithala –
In a bowl mix 1/2 cup gram flour and 2 cups water into a slurry. Mix in salt to taste. Let it rest for 10 mins. Heat another tbsp of groundnut oil, add 1tsp mustard seeds and 1 dry red chilli. And then 1/2 cup mix of chopped onions, green chillies and garlic (proportion of garlic and green chillies as per taste). Sauté it for 3-4 mins until the onions turn translucent. Add in 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Mix in the gram flour slurry and 2 tbsps chopped coriander leaves and continue to stir until it turns thick. Garnish with more coriander leaves.
Bhakri –
In a wide bowl mix in 1 cup Jowari flour/sorghum millets flour with enough hot water to make into a soft dough. Divide the dough into smaller balls. Using palms and more dry flour, form round discs of the dough balls. Heat an iron griddle and put the disc flatbread on it. Let it cook on one side. Brush water on the top and flip and roast from the other side, on the griddle. Repeat with all the dough balls.
Tempered garlic – chowk –
Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. Add 2 tbsp chopped garlic. Sauté until the garlic changes colour. Switch off the flame, add salt to taste and 1 tsp red chilli powder.
Serve the meal with raw onions and fried green chillies and thecha. Enjoy!!!
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Masale Wangi Pithala Bhakri
Ingredients
Masale Wangi
- 10-12 Pcs Small aubergines
- 1/4 Cup Finely chopped onions
- 3-4 Pcs Green chillies Finely chopped
- 6-7 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Tbsp Coriander leaves Chopped
- 2 Tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
- 2 Tsp Roasted peanuts - crushed
- 1.5 Tsps Groundnut oil
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 4-5 Pcs Curry leaves
- 1/4 Cup Water
- Coriander leaves to garnish
Pithala
- 1/2 Cup Gram flour
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Tbsp Groundnut oil
- 1 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 Pc Dry red chilli
- 1/2 Cup Onions, green chillies and garlic - mix
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 Tbsps Coriander leaves and more to garnish
Bhakri
- 1 Cup Jowar flour/sorghum millets flour
- Hot water - to make dough
Tempered garlic - chowk
- 1 Tbsp Groundnut oil
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp Garlic - chopped
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Masale Wangi
- In a bowl mix together for the masala - 1/4 cup finely chopped onions, finely chopped 3-4 green chillies, minced 6-7 garlic pearls, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp red chilli power, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp crushed roasted peanuts, 2 tsps hot groundnut oil.
- Wash and make a criss cross slit at the bottom of 10-12 small aubergines. Stuff the masala in the aubergines. Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds. Add in the aubergines. Mix in 4-5 curry leaves. Mix in 1/4 cup water and cover, and let it cook on medium low flame for 3-4 mins. Stir and cover again. Cook for another 4-5 mins. Uncover and cook for 2 mins. Check if the aubergines are cooked through. Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves.
Pithala
- In a bowl mix 1/2 cup gram flour and 2 cups water into a slurry. Mix in salt to taste. Let it rest for 10 mins.
- Heat another tbsp of groundnut oil, add 1tsp mustard seeds and 1 dry red chilli. And then 1/2 cup mix of chopped onions, green chillies and garlic (proportion of garlic and green chillies as per taste). Sauté it for 3-4 mins until the onions turn translucent. Add in 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Mix in the gram flour slurry and 2 tbsps chopped coriander leaves and continue to stir until it turns thick. Garnish with more coriander leaves.
Bhakri
- In a wide bowl mix in 1 cup Jowari flour/sorghum millets flour with enough hot water to make into a soft dough. Divide the dough into smaller balls. Using palms and more dry flour, form round discs of the dough balls. Heat an iron griddle and put the disc flatbread on it. Let it cook on one side. Brush water on the top and flip and roast from the other side, on the griddle. Repeat with all the dough balls.
Tempered garlic - chowk
- Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. Add 2 tbsp chopped garlic. Sauté until the garlic changes colour. Switch off the flame, add salt to taste and 1 tsp red chilli powder.
- Enjoy!!!
