Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu | Brinjal Curry (VIDEO)
Ragda Patties
April 18, 2018
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December 29, 2018
Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu is a traditional South Indian food. It is spicy and tangy curry goes well with steam rice. I have used gingelly oil to add more flavour to the curry. This gravy is made with more oil which adds extra flavour to the gravy. If you don’t prefer more oil, then you can use less oil. There are so many different variations in this recipe, but I always follow this which is a big hit in my family.
We use Indian brinjal in this gravy so try not to replace them with any other brinjal/aubergine. Make a small slit on the top of the brinjal so that it helps to cook the brinjal fast. I love to add the tail part of the brinjal in this gravy, but you can remove them if you don’t prefer. We fry the brinjals before adding them in the gravy which is an important process in this gravy. Some people add brinjal directly in the gravy but try this way, you will see a big difference in the texture and the taste.
Check out the video recipe here:
Tips to make perfect Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu:
- Fry the brinjals before adding them in the gravy. It gives good taste and texture.
- Adding tamarind water is important to get a tangy taste.
- I have used gingelly oil for better taste and smell.
- Don’t cut the brinjals into small pieces, we have to use the full brinjal in this gravy.
- Use small size brinjals.
- Make a small slit in the brinjal otherwise, it will break while cooking.
- Adding more oil for this gravy is important for better taste.
Here is the detailed recipe:
Take a pan, add 2 onions roughly chopped and saute for few minutes till the onions are soft. Then add 2 tomatoes roughly chopped and cook well with the onions.
Note: Gingelly oil gives good taste and flavour to the gravy
Add salt to taste and 1 tsp turmeric
Then add 1 tbsp chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1 tbsp coriander powder and mix well with onions and tomato.
Add little water after adding the spice powder to avoid burning. Cook for a few minutes and add 1 cup grated coconut and mix well. Once the coconut is added, just cook for a minute. Then switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool down completely. Then take the mixture in the blender.
Make a smooth paste and keep it aside. In the same pan heat a tbsp of oil, add eggplants and roast on a medium flame until it becomes soft and the colour changes slightly. It takes about 5 to 6 minutes to half cook the brinjals. Remove eggplants from the oil and keep it aside.
Note: Always fry the brinjals before adding them in the gravy for better taste.
Now in the same pan, heat oil and add 1 tsp mustard, allow it to crackle. Then add 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow it to crackle then add ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds. Then add 20 shallots and 10 garlic cloves and saute well in the oil.
Cook onions and garlic for few minutes. Then add 1 sprig curry leaves and give it a mix. Then add the grounded masala and add about 1 cup of water.
Now add roasted eggplant, cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Then add ½ cup tamarind water and cover again and cook for 3 minutes or till the oil separates from the gravy.
Cooking time and oil is important to attain the desired taste and texture.
Ennai Kathirikai is ready to serve with Rice, Idly or Dosa
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Brinjal is roasted in the oil and then added with a tangy gravy with lots of gingelly oil. This brinjal gravy is served with rice, idly or dosa.
Ingredients
- 5 Brinjal/Kathirikai (make small slit)
- 2 big Onions (roughly chopped)
- 2 Tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 20 shallots
- 10 to 12 Garlic
- 1 tbsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Kulambu powder (optional)
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1/2 cup Tamarind water
- 1 cup grated Coconut
- Salt, to taste
- Gingelly Oil/Sesame Oil
Method
- Wash eggplants make a slit leaving the bottom intact.
- Heat oil in a pan, add roughly chopped onions and sauté till it becomes soft.
- Now add tomatoes and cook with onions till it becomes mushy.
- Add all the spices 1 tbsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp turmeric, sauté till the raw smell goes.
- Once it is cooked well. Add the grated coconut and mix well.
- Switch off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.
- Add the cooled mixture in a blender and grind it to a fine paste.
- In the same pan heat a tbsp of oil, add eggplants and roast in a medium flame until it becomes soft and the colour changes slightly. Remove eggplants from the oil and keep it aside.
- Now in the same pan, heat oil and add 1 tsp mustard, allow it to crackle.
- Then add 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow it to crackle then add ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds.
- Then add 20 shallots, 1 sprig curry leaves, 10 to 12 garlic cloves and saute for a few minutes.
- Then add the grounded masala and add about 1 cup of water.
- Now add roasted eggplant, cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Then add ½ cup tamarind water and cover again and cook for 3 minutes.
- Now Ennai Kathirikai is ready to serve with Steam rice, idly or dosa.
Notes
1. Fry the brinjals before adding them in the gravy. It gives good taste and texture.
2. Adding tamarind water is important to get a tangy taste.
3. I have used gingelly oil for better taste and smell.
4. Don’t cut the brinjals into small pieces, we have to use the full brinjal in this gravy.
5. Use small size brinjals.
6. Make a small slit in the brinjal otherwise, it will break while cooking.
7. Adding more oil for this gravy is important for better taste.
