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I must have been eight then, living in my grandparents’ house under the watchful care of my grandfather, Mr. Rama Murthy, and my grandmother, Kameswari. The house itself seemed to breathe with their presence, its rooms holding stories the way walls hold warmth after a long day. My grandfather was a village school headmaster, but people also came to him for homeopathic remedies. Farmers, neighbours, and strangers trusted him deeply and often visited with small gifts from their fields.
One afternoon, a farmer named Adinarayana arrived carrying the first harvest of brinjals. They were round, tender, and deep purple, still carrying the scent of fresh earth. He offered them to my grandfather with pride. My grandmother took them to the kitchen and began her quiet cooking ritual. She ground fresh coriander leaves with green chillies, tamarind pulp, and a little jaggery—nothing measured, everything guided by instinct. The paste carried the perfect balance of sourness, heat, and sweetness.
She gently slit each brinjal and filled it with the fragrant paste. On the coal-burner stove, the brinjals cooked slowly as the aroma filled the entire house. The smell drifted through every room, making it impossible not to feel hungry. I ate them eagerly, unaware that I was tasting not just food but memories, love, and tradition.
Even today, whenever I prepare this dish, it takes me back to that afternoon in my grandparents’ home. Some recipes simply feed the body, but a few quietly remind us where we come from.
Coriander stuffed brinjal curry
Tender purple brinjal, coriander leaves, tamarind pulp, salt to taste, jaggery, edible oil.
Wash and gently slit the tender brinjals without cutting them completely. Grind coriander leaves, green chilli, tamarind pulp, jaggery, and salt into a coarse paste. Stuff the paste carefully inside the brinjals while keeping their shape intact. Heat a thick iron tava with sesame oil, place the stuffed brinjals on it, cover with a lid, and cook on low flame until the brinjals become soft and well cooked.
My Food Story is a collection of stories and recipes that celebrate India’s traditional plant-based ingredients sourced from local biodiversity. You can see these recipes on our interactive dashboard (https://www.cseindia.org/page/myfoodstory).
Srinivasa Rao Jayanthy is an author from Telangana