Cut onions roughly and fry in little oil in a wide and deep container till they turn to brown in color. Or else the traditional method is Fry onion whole on flame all around if it is possible and keep aside. I follow first method here. In india the another method. Keep thease onions aside. After it cools down, add this to above all masala ingredients in a blender or grinder and paste them. If needed you can add little water. Keep the paste aside.

Wash the brinjals and do not remove the tail. Since they help while eating brinjal or vankaaya in the curry. You can just grab a full one brinjal into your mouth with the help of tail:-)) But ofcourse again its your choice:-) I prefer keeping them as it is. Cut each one of the brinjals across. See here they are not cut completely till end. That means brinjal should be one, not four pieces. You can check in the beside pic. They are waiting to dip in the masala;-)


Wash the tamarind and soak in a warm water till tamarind becomes soft. After that take juice out of it. Here, the tamarind juice should be thick. In the same container, in which you fried the onions, heat the recommended oil or as per your requirement and taste for main dish to cook. Add jeera or cumin seeds and fry until they start changing color. Cook this dish on medium heat. Now add curry leaves and fry them. Remember they should be crispy. Now add cut brinjals in to the container and fry till they turn into dark color all around. See the brinjals should not break.

Now add the masala paste to above fried brinjals and mix well. See again brinjals should not break into pieces. Cook for 2 minutes with closed lid so that masala or spices get into the cut brinjals. After that add tamarind juice and mix well. Do not add any water here. That is why tamarind juice should be taken a/c to your gravy requirement. I.e., if you want more gravy than soak little more tamarind.


Allow to cook whole thing on medium heat till the brinjals are cooked well. They should be soft and cooked well. Remember, brinjals are cooked fast like fish. Finally, add cilantro and close the lid and cook on low heat for couple of minutes and turn off the heat. Here, you can taste the gravy and can add required chilli powder, salt and coriander powder if needed. The Vanakaya Masala is ready to serve. This dish taste more better the next day or another day. So if you have some work next day than you can prepare this and keep aside (no need to refrigerate) and can enjoy next couple of days if you are going to cook in lots:-))

1lb firm tofu (remove excess water from it by pressing it firmly.
Crush the tofu and keep aside)
1cup peas (fresh peas boiled or frozen.Both washed properly)
1 cup fresh coriander (cut into small and washed)
1 - 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
6 to 7 green chillies(cut into small pieces)
1 medium onion (cut into small pieces)
1 or 2 meduim tomatoes(cut into small pieces)
2 or 3 tsp oil
salt a/c to taste

Method
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1. Take oil in a pan and heat for some time.Then add mustard seed.After they start spluttering,add cumin seeds and fry till they turn little brown.
2. Now add green chillies, fry for 1 min, then add onions and fry till they turn light brown in color.
3. Add ginger garlic paste to it fry for 1 or 2 minutes.Then add turmeric and fry for 1 min.
   
4. Now add crushed Tofu and peas and fry till Tofu turns light brown in color.Keep sttiring to avoid Tofu and other ingredients from burning.
5. Once it turns light brown, add red chilli powder,salt and mix well with ingredients.Should not add any water here.
6. Allow to cook on medium heat for another 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Now add tomatoes and mix well.Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
8. Finally, add coriander and little lime juice which is optional.
9. Cover it and keep on low heat for 2 minutes and stop.

Note: The final result of recipe should be dry, which taste better with fried rice and chapathis.Can also have with plain rice, which we can give to children and equally healthy.
Reduce tomatoes to 1 instead of 2, if you want its taste to be less in the curry.