Ennai kathirikai kulambu recipe is an authentic vegetarian dish made of brinjal, onion, tomato, tamarind and other exotic spices and it is a traditional recipe from the South Indian cuisine.
First soak the tamarind in hot water for 20- 30 minutes approximately. After sometime, squeeze the tamarind and filter the water to get the tamarind pulp. Keep it aside.
Take the brinjals and wash it well and wipe it with a clean cloth.
Now, just turn the brinjal upside down, slit the brinjal vertically without cutting the bottom. Let it be intact.
The cut should be in the shape of a `plus sign` and just slightly open the slit and check out for any worms inside and just throw it off if there is any.
Let the brinjals soak in water till cooking to prevent it from turning black.
Wash and clean the tomatoes and chop them into medium sized cubes. Peel off the skin from the regular onions and the shallots and finely chop them. Finally, roughly tear the curry leaves and coriander leaves and keep them aside.
1Place an `iron kadai` in the stove and adjust the flame in medium mode. Once it is heated, pour just a tea spoon of gingelly oil and after a minute, tip in the measured quantities of red chilli, chana dhal and urad dhal in it and stir gently. Lower the flame if necessary.
When they turn golden brown, drop a teaspoon of coriander seeds, half a tea spoon of cumin seeds and half a tea spoon of black pepper in the kadai and fry them.
Finally scatter over the poppy seeds and the grated coconut and keep frying till the aroma sets in
Remove the kadai from the stove and switch it off. Transfer the contents to a plate and let it cool.
When it cools down, put it in a blender and sprinkle a little water. Grind it to a fine paste and keep it aside.
Fill all the slit brinjals with this fresh ground masala and let them marinate for a while. Keep the remaining masala for the gravy.
Place the `kadai` in the stove again and keep it in high flame.
. Pour two tablespoons of oil and once it is heated, add a tea spoon of mustard seeds in it.
Once it splutters, stir in half a tea spoon of fenugreek seeds and wait for a second or two till the color changes to light brown. Now change the flame to medium mode.
scatter over the curry leaves and let it splutter too. Then drop a pinch of asafoetida along with a roughly torn red chilli and stir in.
Now add the finely chopped shallots and when they turn translucent, tip in the chopped tomatoes and let them soften. At this stage, drop the stuffed brinjals to it and give a good stir. Saute till you see blisters on top of the brinjals.
Add the required amount of salt in it along with a pinch of turmeric powder.
At last, add the grounded paste in it and add a little water and mix everything well.
Add the measured quantity of chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and at this stage pour the tamarind pulp into the kadai and stir well. Adjust the flame to simmer mode.
Close it with a lid and let it cook for 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, check whether the `Ennai kathirikai kulambu` is too thick and in order to adjust the consistency add a little more water and pop the lid on.
After 5-7 minutes, just open the lid and ensure that the brinjal is cooked completely by poking it with a knife.
At last, add a tea spoon of jaggery into the `kulambu` in order to balance the overall taste of the dish.
After five minutes, you will see the `kathirikai kulambu` is being cooked completely, and watch out till the oil splits.
Switch off the stove now and garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves and now the lip-smacking ‘ Ennai Kathirikai kulambu` is ready to serve.
Serve it hot with raw rice or boiled rice with pudalangai kootu, cabbage poriyal and ulundu appalam. That makes an ideal lunch for a rainy day.
Serving Size 1 cup
Servings 0
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.