“Sagle” is a Konkani dish with coarsely ground coconut, urad dal, coriander seeds masala having some kind of vegetable in it. This is a sweetish spicy side dish. I think this is also called as Sukke in some places. Eggplant sagle is one of the favorites at my home.
Gulla is a special kind of green eggplant available mainly in Mangalore. This is very popular among Konkanis. Taste wise, it is almost like any other eggplant. I use normal eggplant for this Sagle here. The main vegetable used for vayngana(normal eggplant)/gulla sagle is eggplant, but drumsticks and sugarcane pieces can also be added to this dish. I used eggplant and drumsticks for this.
Sagle can also be made with bhindi, this version is called bhende sagle.

Eggplant in coconut sauce (Vayngana/GuLLa Sagle)
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups chopped eggplant/gulla
- 1 cup drumsticks optional
- 1 cup sugarcane pieces optional
- 1 and ½ cups grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 1 and ½ tea spns urad dal
- 1 tea spn coriander seeds
- 4-5 red chilies
- 5-6 curry leaves
- ½ tea spn tamarind extract or 2-3 pieces of normal tamarind
- ½ tea spn mustard seeds
- 1 tbl spn jaggery
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- After cutting the eggplants, put them in water for at least 5-10mins. Discard the water.
- Heat oil, fry coriander seeds and 1 tea spn urad dal till dal turns slightly brownish.
- Grind them with coconut, tamarind, red chilies, jaggery and salt to a coarse paste (do not make the paste too smooth).
- Heat oil and add mustard seeds and remaining urad dal.
- When mustard starts popping and dal becomes slightly brownish, add curry leaves.
- Fry for sometime.
- Now add the vegetables, 1 cup water and cook till the vegetables are 3/4th done.
- Add the ground paste and cook till the vegetables are completely done.
- Serve hot as a side dish with rice.
Yummy! I really love the “sagalay” (both eggplant and bhindi) so much…i feel emotional reading your posts of these authentic konkani recipes, as it reminds me of my mom’s and grandmom’s kitchens.
I forgot abt this sukke/sagle totally as i havent seen fresh drumsticks for quite some time. I guess we get some greenish eggplant here which almost looks like gulla but has too many seeds in it. I think it is called Thai bringals. Thanks for reminding and posting.
Ingredients themselves sounds mouthwatering! I will try this as soon as I get some Badanekai. I remember Gulla!:D Bantwaldalli iddaga gullada palya madutiddaru mummy! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Shilpa,
It’s amazing how the names remain while the recipes change when they change hands.. my mom makes similar sagle.. the difference is that she puts cumin seeds instead of urad dal, and I have never seen her add drumsticks or sugarcane pieces.. interesting.. we also make sagle with bhindi which is less watery.. Thansk for the post.
A
Hi Shilpa,wow,adding sugarcane to curries is a new concept for me.I also make a similar version though not with drumstick and sugarcane.My grandmother(mom’s mom) makes it with drumsticks too.Coconut and eggplant is a great combo.
Shilpa,
You are the best! You share such authentic recipes that we have never heard of, keep up the fantastic work girl!
Cheers
Shilpa..is this similar to ‘Beans and Potato Sukke?’
About ‘Gulla’ I used to make ‘Phodi’ …now that all of us are aware of fried food and their side effects, I don’t make it that often.
You really take us down the memory lane Shilpa. Add me to your list of permanant admirers!
Shilpa,
Acc to what my mom thought me sagle and sukke are different. I donno about how other families do it, but at my home Sagle has only coriander, Sukke has both urad dal and coriander. Theres also butti with has raw coriander, while in sagle and sukke spices are fried in oil.
Thanks Rajasi :).
Aruna, I have used Thai eggplant before for ennegayi. As you said, it has too many seeds compared to gulla.
Asha, neevu Bantwaldalli idra? good to know that :).
A, are you from Kerala? Looks like we all retained the names but changed the ingredients according to taste :(. Your version looks interesting, I will try it. I am sure it will taste completely different.
Thanks Vini :).
Thank you so much Deepa :).
Baab, you gave me a new recipe name to search. I don’t know what is beans-potato sukke, will try to find it out :D. Now, let us discuss once about who is whose admirer :D.
Manjula, yeah as far as I know, your method is followed by few Konkanis(mainly in SK) and my method is followed in my place. I will add only coriander seeds next time and check. Thanks.
Yes, Shilpa, I’m from Kerala.. but my mom’s from Karkal. She makes saggle karkal style. Try the bhindi or the “alsande” one it comes out very good.
My wife suggested me this website for typical konkani recipes as I was really finding it difficult to explain to our Nigerian house girls to cook. Now, they just follow these recipes & it just tastes like original. Thanks Shilpa. I really feel your methods of preparation are very simple for anybody to understand.