Vangi Batatyachi Bhaji / Brinjal & Potato Dry Sabzi (Maharashtrian Style)

This is a traditional Maharashtrian-style dry sabzi made with small eggplants (brinjals) and potatoes, enriched with a variety of aromatic spices, coconut, and peanuts. It pairs perfectly with hot rotis or chapatis.

Goda masala is at the heart of this regional flavor, known for its rich, mildly sweet, earthy, and subtly smoky taste. It adds a warm and layered aroma without overwhelming the dish. The combination of coconut and peanut powder lends a hearty texture and depth, while jaggery softens the heat from the green chilies, creating a beautifully balanced sweet-spicy profile. A tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, fennel, curry leaves, and hing forms the aromatic foundation that ties all the elements together.

 Ingredients

4–5 small brinjals (eggplants), cut into quarters (keep them in salted water)

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

half tsp fennel seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp goda masala

2 tsp jaggery

2 tbsp grated coconut

2 tbsp peanut powder

Curry leaves

2 green chilies - slit vertically

Oil

Salt

Procedure

1. In a small pan, heat a bit of oil and add the mustard seeds.

2. Once they splutter, add the cumin seeds, and fennel seeds

3. Next add the hing, curry leaves and green chilies

4. Finally add the chopped brinjal and potatoes and add salt (as per taste)

5. Cook this on a high flame. In the mean time, add all the masalas. Ass turmeric powder, chili powder, goda masala, corainder powder, cumin powder and stir nicely

6. Next add the jaggery, grated coconut and the peanut powder and mix well.

7. Turn it on a low flame and cook it covered for another 15 mins. Keep strring in between

8. The eggplants cook very fast, Once the potatoed are cooked, it is ready to serve

Serve it hot with rotis or chapatis.