Stuffed Onions - The Kathiyawadi Way ! (ભરેલી ડુંગળીનું શાક)

I first learnt about this recipe (just like most others) after marriage! You see I am married in a Kathiyawadi family. Now Kathiyawad was for a long time a stately province in pre-independent India. Though it does not exist on map anymore, the Kathiyawadi culture is quite predominant in Gujarat even now.

Kathiyawad is well known for it's spicy hot recipes amongst many other things.

And Stuffed Onions is a delicacy just like Stuffed Brinjals, Bengan Bharta, Sev Tomato Sabji.

I will be posting recipes of most of these sooner or later but for now, it is Stuffed Onions - The Kathiyawadi Way!

Small Red Onions - 6-7

Groundnuts - More than one handful

Red Chilli Powder - Spicier the better!

Turmeric Powder - A pinch

Cummin / Caraway Seed (Dhaniya/ Jeera Powder) - Nearly 2 table spoonfuls

Sugar - to taste

Salt - to taste

Garlic Cloves - an entire small bulb

Oil - 2 spoonfuls

Coriander Leaves

In a mixer grinder, crush groundnuts, and all the spices listed above except oil and coriander. (remember you just have to crush not make a powder out of it! In any case if you grind for a longer time, the groundnuts will secrete oil making your filling soggy!)

Now once crushed add some oil to it and coriader to it and mix it. (preferably with hands)



So you are basically half done now!

Just peel the onions and cut them into 4 halves at the centre. But make sure they are in one piece.

Now stuff in the filling. In a pressure cooker put some oil. When it heats place the stuffed onions in it. And pressure cook it for a couple of minutes!

What makes this recipe typically Kathiyawadi is the way whole onion is used here, while also excessive use of chilli powder to make it spicy!