Yennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu/Eggplants in Tamarind Sauce

Day before yesterday I prepared this kuzhambu for lunch with crispy yam fry and microwaved appalams. It's my parents' favourite kuzhambu.

Ingredients:
Brinjal/eggplants (medium-sized) - 10
Shallots (peeled) - 12 (sliced)
Garlic (peeled) - 6 cloves (crushed)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Tamarind - lemon sized
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil - 6 tbsp.

To roast and grind:
White whole black gram - 1 tbsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tbsp.
Red chillies - 6 (or as per taste)
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - a pinch
Fenugreek seeds - a pinch
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp.

Method:
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water.
Stir-fry all ingredients in 1 tsp. of oil except asafoetida, red chillies and grated coconut.
When the spices are 75% roasted, add the remaining ingredients (asafoetida, red chillies and grated coconut).
Fry till the spices and grams turn golden in colour. Remove and place them on a plate. Let them cool.
Grind them into a powder.
Make an 'X' incision on the base of eggplants till 3/4th.
Stuff the powder inside each eggplant. Set aside.
Crush the tamarind and squeeze out the pulp.
Heat 6 tbsp. of oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, add garlic, shallots and curry leaves.
When the onions become light golden colour, add tomatoes and required salt.
When the tomatoes become pulpy, add stuffed eggplants and sauté now and then without breaking them.
Once the eggplants change colour and become half tender, add the remaining powder and mix.
Now pour the tamarind extract. Pour the required water (I poured 2 cups of water).
Sprinkle the turmeric powder and mix.
Cover and cook till the eggplants become fully tender. Stir in between.
When the oil releases from the tamarind sauce, remove the kadai from fire. Tamarind sauce will be thick at this stage.
Enjoy with hot steaming white rice.
Goes well with soft dosai also.

Note:
When the kuzhambhu cools down, it becomes very thick.

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Brinjal in Coconut Milk Masala

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 400 gm
Onions - 3 (sliced)
Tomato - 2 (small-chopped)
Coconut - 1 tsp. (grated)
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Byadgi chillies - 5 to 6
Garlic - 6
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Curry leaves - 10
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds.
Allow mustard seeds to crackle. Add onions and saute till they change color.
Add tomatoes and saute till they become mushy.
Add chopped brinjals and saute for 5 minutes.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
Add 2 to 3 cups of water and allow it to boil in medium flame.
Meanwhile dry roast the poppy seeds.
Heat oil and fry coriander seeds, grated coconut, garlic, bengal gram till golden color each separately.
Fry the byadgi chillies also.
Turn them into paste with fennel seeds.
When the brinjals are tender, add this paste and 1 cup of water. Stir.
Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat and cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for salt.
Add the coconut milk immediately remove from heat.
Add coriander leaves and curry leaves.
Serve with rice, roti and dosai.

Sent off to "Healing Foods-Onions" (hosted by Priya and started by Siri).

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Roasted Eggplant Pasta

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1

Pasta (Fusilli Tri-colored) - 500 gms

Onions - 1 (diced)

Garlic - 3 big cloves (chopped)

Roasted tomatoes - 5 to 6 (chopped)

Green peppers - 1 (diced)

Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp.

Pasta seasonings - 2 to 3 tsp.

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Feta cheese (crumbled)

Method:

Cut the eggplants into bite sizes. Mix the pieces with salt and throw them in the colander. Let it be for 20-30 minutes.

Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.

Now mix the eggplants with olive oil, salt and crushed pepper.

Bake them in 200°C by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until tender.

Heat oil and add the onion onions.

Add garlic, red pepper flakes, seasonings, green bell pepper, roasted tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Add half a cup of water and bring it to a boil.

In another burner, cook the pasta.

Once the sauce thickens add the coriander leaves and remove.

Serve the pasta with roasted eggplants and crumbled feta cheese.

How I roasted tomatoes:

Cut the ripe medium sized Roma tomatoes into 4.

Place them on the baking sheet and sprinkle olive oil, dry thyme, crushed pepper and salt.

Bake the tomatoes in 200°C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from Kevin's "Closet Cooking".


Sent off to Anita's "Vegetable Marathon: Eggplants" and Jyothi's "Pasta Party".

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