Today, I am presenting this nutritious flatbread called Vangyache Thalipeeth made with roasted eggplant and jowar flour from the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. It has a lovely smoky flavour from the roasted eggplant (brinjal) and makes for a complete meal when paired with some homemade butter or dahi.
I have been trying to include more millets in my diet, and so have been making a lot of dishes using Bajra, Jowar, and Ragi to start with. I am using both whole millets and millet flour. Both Bajra and Jowar are widely used in Maharashtra and so I am looking up recipes that make use of these wonderful, hardy millets.
When I came across this recipe for Vangyache Thalipeeth from the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, I could not wait to try it because it used Brinjal, one of my favourite vegetables. What I loved about this flatbread is its spicy, smoky flavour. It is also very easy to make and in fact you could also make it with leftover Vangyache Bharit | Baingan Bharta, instead of with freshly roasted brinjal.
Do also try Thalipeeth, Bharda Bhat, Nagpuri Gola Bhat, and other Maharashtrian recipes on my blog.
Recipe for Vangyache Thalipeeth
Vangyache Thalipeeth
Ingredients
- 1 Large Eggplant, Brinjal, Vangi (~500 gms)
- 1 Cup Jowar Flour (~125 gms)
- 1/4 Cup Besan (~ 40 gms)
- 1 Handful Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander
- 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
- 1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1-2 tbsp Dahi (Use only, if needed)
- 2 Pinches Asafoetida
- Salt to Taste
- 2-3 tbsp Oil
Instructions
- Wash and dry the large eggplant.
- Using a few drops of oil, grease the entire outer surface.
- On a low to medium open flame, roast the whole brinjal till the skin is charred. Rotate the brinjal every few minutes t ensure it roasts evenly and well.
- Transfer the charred brinjal to a plate and let it cool.
- Carefully peel the brinjal and transfer the roasted flesh (with any juices that seep out) to a large bowl.
- Combine the roasted brinjal, onions, chilli paste, garlic paste, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, and salt to the roasted brinjal. Mix well.
- Add the jowar flour and besan, and mix well. If the dough is too dry, add dahi. If the dough is too moist, add more jowar flour. The juices from the onion and brinjal are usually enough to bind the dough.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Grease a banana leaf or a plastic sheet with a few drops of oil.
- Place one portion of the dough on it and with greased or moist fingers, press the dough to form a thick disc about 5″ in diameter.
- Using your index finger, make a small hole in the centre and using a knife make a few cuts on the Thalipeeth. This helps in cooking the thalipeeth better.
- Over a medium flame, heat a tava and grease its surface well with 1/2 tsp oil. I used a non-stick and so needed just a few drops of oil.
- Transfer the thalipeeth into to your palm and then onto the hot tava.
- If needed, drizzle a few drops of oil into the hole in the centre and at the edges.
- Cover and let the thalipeeth cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip the thalipeeth over and drizzle a few drops of oil into the hole in the centre and at the edges.
- Cook uncovered for about 2 minutes.
- Make the remaining thalipeeth in the same way.
- Serve the Vangyache Thalipeeth hot with some home made butter or dahi.
Notes
How to Make Vangyache Thalipeeth
- Roast the Brinjal
- Select a large brinjal that is firm and bright purple in colour. Fresh bharta baingan is always glossy purple and the skin seems stretched tight. This type of brinjal will not have too many seeds or fibres.
- Wash the brinjal and dry it well.
- Grease the surface of the brinjal with a few drops of oil.
- On a low to medium open flame, roast the whole brinjal till the skin is charred. Keep rotating the brinjal every 2 to 3 minutes to ensure it roasts evenly and well.
- Remove the roasted brinjal from the flame and transfer to a plate.
- Let the brinjal cool completely and then carefully peel the brinjal.
- Select a large brinjal that is firm and bright purple in colour. Fresh bharta baingan is always glossy purple and the skin seems stretched tight. This type of brinjal will not have too many seeds or fibres.
- Making the Dough for Vangyache Thalipeeth
- Transfer the roasted flesh (with any juices that seep out) into a large bowl.
- Add chilli paste, garlic paste, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida, and salt to the roasted brinjal.
- Mix well.
- Add the jowar flour and besan.
- Mix well.
- Add the chopped onions.
- Mix well into a firm dough. If the dough is too dry, add some dahi. If the dough is too wet, add some more jowar flour.
- Making the Vangyache Thalipeeth
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
- Grease a banana leaf or a plastic sheet with a few drops of oil. You can directly shape the thalipeeth on a well-greased cold or a lukewarm tava also. However, I prefer to do it this way.
- Place one portion of the dough on the plastic.
- With greased or moist fingers, press the dough ball gently to shape it into a 5″ circle.
- Using your index finger, make a small hole in the centre, and using a knife, make a few cuts on the Thalipeeth. This helps in cooking the thalipeeth better.
- Over a medium flame, heat a tava and grease its surface well with 1/2 tsp oil. I used a non-stick and so needed just a few drops of oil. Do not cook on high-flame as the thalipeeth will char on the surface but remain uncooked inside.
- Transfer the thalipeeth onto your palm and then onto the hot tava.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil into the hole in the centre and at the edges.
- Cover and let the thalipeeth cook for 2 minutes.
- Flip the thalipeeth over and drizzle a few drops of oil into the hole in the centre and at the edges.
- Cook uncovered for about 2 minutes. Both sides should just start to brown.
- Make the remaining thalipeeth in the same way.
- Serve the Vangyache Thalipeeth hot with some home made butter or dahi.
I am taking this recipe to the party at A to Z Recipe Challenge where this month we are featuring ingredients beginning with the letter E.
Thalipeeth is something I have always wanted to try out. Never knew one could add eggplant to it too! This looks absolutely delicious. Would love to try it out some time. 🙂
Loved your recipe, Aruna…. I’m surely going to try it ????
Look forward to hearing how it turns out 🙂
Oops. …My emojis in the previous comment showed up as question marks
Yes, Wordpress does that sometimes… Don’t worry about it. 🙂
Wow, two of my favorites in one, Eggplant and Jowar, you won my heart. With all those pics I am perfectly in drool mode.
Very innovative.. I have never tasted a thalipeeth with brinjal. Very well prepared and presented.
Never knew eggplants can be used in flatbreads! It looks so good, and doesn’t even need much of a side to enjoy it…
An unusual thalipeeth. Bookmarked this recipe to try it out as hubby and I both love eggplants and my new craving for thalipeeth 😉
Do try it. You can even use leftover Baingan Bharta to make this Thalipeeth.
Wow another awesome recipe by you Aruna, never thought that we can use eggplants in Thalipeeth. That’s amazing share!!
Quite a unique thalipeetha, never thought of adding eggplant in thalipeeth and here you are. Well done and what a fabulous dish you came with.
Thalipeeth is new favourite of our family. Eggplant in thalipeeth sounds totally innovative and delicious. Love your creativity?
Wow! This sounds and looks so delicious 🙂 A new way to look at Gujarati Thepla! I’ve never added eggplant in a flatbread. Definitely going to try this one! Thanks for sharing
Wow! that is a brilliant recipe and the roasted eggplant in the thalipeeth would have made it so flavorful. I am tempted to try it soon as it is very healthy as well.
I would love to try this thalipeeth as even I have started more of millets and also because it would be a good way to feed eggplant to my kids and my Dh. Hehe. The thalipeeth really looks very tempting.
🙂 Anything for a worthy cause…. 😀 😀
I make multigrain thalipeeth with different veggies at least once per week. Never tried adding chaared eggplant to it though. Can’t wait to try out your version as a variation. Thanks for the share Aruna !
Aruna, we can happily incorporate millets to our daily diet if we have such fab recipes. I loved the addition of smoky aubergines that adds both moisture and flavour to the thalipeeth.
Wow!! Amazing! I am seeing an eggplant in thalipeeth or chapathi for the first time! Wonderful dear! With jowar, I could go for this dish any time! Just need some pickles and curd, that is all!
WOW !!! flatbread using eggplant is quite interesting one Aruna ? the addition of jowar flour also adds a healthy note here as well !
A new recipe thalipeeth with eggplant in it. Looks so delicious and it’s healthy too!! I will love to have it with some yogurt and coriander chutney!!
Hi Jayeeta,
Should work. Try adding a touch of besan and/ rice flour too.
We generally eat roasted eggplant with plan rice. This recipe is completely new to me and I am interested in trying this. Can I use wheat flour instead of jowar ???
Egg plant in thalipeeth is very new to me. Seeing the clicks , I want to try this soon. Looks amazing
This is looking absolutely delicious…have never tried this but with the appearance can tell that it is very very delicious nd healthy..would love to try it soon…awesome share??
Never tried thalipeeth with roasted eggplant. So innovative and super tempting recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Awesome share.
Wow this is amazing. I love all the ingredients you have used to make vanga cha thalipeeth. This is an awesome breakfast. Thanks.