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ennai kathirikai kuzhambu

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

nags
Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu is a Tamilnadu recipe with a variety of roasted spices in a tamarind gravy with baby brinjal (eggplant) stewed in it whole. A treat with hot rice!
5 from 3 votes
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Ingredients
  

  • A marble-sized ball of tamarind
  • 5-6 small purple brinjal eggplant
  • 1 teaspoon powdered jaggery optional but recommended

For Spice Paste:

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
  • 5-6 dried red chillies adjust to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chana dal / kadala paruppu
  • 1 tablespoon toor dal
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
  • 4-5 shallots / chinna vengaayam
  • 2 tablespoons grated coconut optional

For Tempering:

  • 1/4 cup sesame oil / gingelly oil / nallennai
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 dry red chilli
  • A few curry leaves

Instructions
 

  • 1. Heat oil for spice paste and add all ingredients except shallots and coconut
  • 2. Fry till spices are fragrant and the lentils turn a golden brown
  • 3. Turn off heat and add sliced shallots and coconut. Mix and let them sit in the heat of the pan
  • 4. Cool this mixture completely and grind into a smooth paste with enough water and salt
  • 5. Soak tamarind in 1.5 cups warm water and extract juice. Discard pulp.
  • 6. Wash the brinjal and make criss-cross cuts into it from the base almost up to the stalks
  • 7. Stuff the brinjal with spice paste and set aside
  • 8. Heat sesame oil for tempering in a large pan and add the mustard seeds, red chilly, and curry leaves
  • 9. When the mustard seeds pop, add the brinjal one by one and lower heat. Turn them over every few minutes till cooked through and semi-soft
  • 10. To this, add the remaining spice paste and jaggery along with the tamarind juice and some water to desired consistency
  • 11. Simmer until the oil floats to the top. Add more salt as needed.
  •  

Notes

  • It's important to book the brinjal until soft but don't let it get too mushy and crumble
  • I normally add some curry leaves to the spice paste mixture as well, the flavour really comes through
  • This recipe does involve a fair amount of spices and roasting but the kuzhambu keeps for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Just reheat and bring to boil before serving
  • You can avoid coconut for a smoother kuzhambu that will last even longer