Aachi ennai kathirikai puli kuzhambu | Egg plant tamarind curry | Nallennai kathirikai kuzhambu

Cuisine Style: Tamil Nadu, South India | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | To Serve: 4 | Take with: Idli, Dosa, Rice, Chapathi | Type : Gravy, kulambu, curry, masala.

Ingredients

• Kathirikai [Baby egg plant] – ½ kg
• Tamarind – gooseberry size [soak in warm water and extract puree]
• Gingelly oil – 2 tbsp
• Dry red chilli -1
• Curry leaves – 1 spring
• Sambar Onion [shallots] – 6
• Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Jaggery – 1 tbsp [grated]
• Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp
• Bengal gram – 1 tbsp
• Asafetida a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Water as needed

For roasting and grinding ingredients

• Bengal gram – 1 tbsp
• Urad dal – ½ tbsp
• Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
• Dry red chilli - 1
• Shallots – 7
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Water – ¼ cup
• Heat oil in a pan then roast Bengal gram and urad dal. Then roast coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
• Next roast onion and dry red chilli. Then put all ingredients in a mixer jar then grind well with ¼ cup of water.

Dry roast and grind

• Fenugreek seed – 1 tbsp
• Coriander seeds – ½ tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
• Dry roast then grind to fine powder

Method

• Wash & Slit egg plant on top. Heat pan with gingelly oil then sauté brinjal for 7 min.
• Heat another pan then add mustard seeds. Once it’s spluttered add Bengal gram and onion sauté till soft.
• Add dry red chilli, curry leaves, fenugreek powder and asafetida mix well. Then add sautéed brinjal mix well.
• Add salt, turmeric & red chilli powder mix well. Then add tamarind puree mix well & add water cook till raw smell out.
• Then add ground paste mix well & add coriander powder & cumin powder leave it for boil.
• When boiling add jaggery mix well & cut off heat then add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil.
• Serve hot with rice.

Country brinjal