Kathrikkai Thirattal / Brinjal in a Spicy Nutty Gravy

Brinjals were always in my hate list from my school days and lasted till quite some time after my marriage. When amma added brinjals to aviyal, I would be picking them out carefully from my serving, no matter how small she cuts it. She would get frustrated at times cos the best part is that I gorge in fried brinjals and when I pick out itsy-bitsy bits of brinjal out of the aviyal, she just gets mad. After marriage, I started taking a liking to this vegetable mainly because of the huss and since then tried experimenting with this veggie. Ever since I saw this recipe, I wanted to try it out but with brinjals and the outcome was a perfect spicy side dish for dosas and chapathis. U can use this as a gravy or as a side dish, perfect both ways.

~*What U Need*~
Brinjals - 200 gms
Tomatoes(medium, pureed) - 1
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - as needed
Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

For the masala
Oil - 1 tsp
Roasted and skinless peanuts - a handful
White sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Pearl onions - 5
Onion(medium) - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

How I Made it:
In a non-stick pan, saute the masala ingredients till golden brown. Grind it into a smooth paste adding water after it cools down.

In the same kadai, heat oil, add the pureed tomato paste and fry till half done. Next add the ground paste and cook on low flame. Add water if the mixture dries up. Add the cubed brinjals and mix well.

Cook till the brinjals are done (soft and mushy). Simmer till you get the required consistency. Add coriander leaves and serve.

Serve as side dish for dosas / chapathis.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Baigan ka Bharta / Roasted Eggplant in Onion Tomato Sauce

Baigan ka bharta is a famous Punjabi dish but has been adapted all over India or by Indians all over the world these days with twists and tweaks to suit their own palate. I hate eggplants to the core and avoid buying it except for the ones to be added in sambar. Even when used in Sambar, I used to hand pick the cooked brinjals from the curry… That’s how I hate eggplant.

My mom after her many unsuccessful attempts in trying to give me this, then sought out the method of frying the brinjals with spices. Initially when I was a kid, I used to eat this but then after growing up started to become diet conscious and again stopped eating it. The fried brinjals will suck up oil as like a piece of cotton in water. So tired of her attempts, she stopped trying to give me brinjals in any form.

After marriage, the story continued. Now me being the master of my kitchen, I ignored eggplants. One day I asked hubby to get veggies to make sambar. Asked him to get 2 or 3 brinjals and got frustrated when he returned with half a kg of brinjals. I didn’t want to waste them and hence googled for some spicy and masala-y brinjal recipe. Something which masks the flavor of the eggplants. I had lots of hits with this Baigan ka Bharta, blogs and articles telling how delicious and spicy this dish is. So made this side dish for lemon rice and I totally loved the combination of flavors, the tanginess of the lemon rice playing together with the spiciness of the roasted brinjals is definitely a hit.

~*What U Need*~
Brinjal / Eggplants – 4 to 5
Onions(Large) – 1
Tomatoes(Medium) – 1
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Cumin Powder – ½ tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Oil Salt
Coriander leaves – few sprigs
Hing – a pinch

How I made it:

Clean the eggplants well and pat it dry. Brush oil all over the skin and bake in oven or over a grill pan till the eggplant is mushy and done.
When the eggplant is baked well, you will see the skin peeling off. Take it out, cool it down and then peel off the skins and stem.
Mash the eggplant flesh to a pulp. Donot blend this, we need an uneven pulp.

Chop the onions into large chunks and blend this into a smooth paste. Similarly blend the tomatoes too. This step is optional. You can also chop the onions and tomatoes well.
I usually go for the blending option when I am running out of time.

In a hot pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow to splutter. When done, add the curry leaves, hing and fry well.
Add onions / onion paste and fry till brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
Then add the tomatoes / tomato paste and sauté till the mixture is cooked well and oil oozes out.
If you feel that the mixture is too dry, you can add oil / water. Add all the powders (Coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder), salt and fry well.
Then add the mashed eggplant pulp and combine well. Cook in medium flame for 3-4 mins and garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Serve hot with chapathis / any tangy rice like lemon rice / mango rice.

Note: You can add cooked fresh peas to this also.

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Easy Sambar Saadam / Bisibelebath

Sambar saadam is u, me and everyone’s comfort food. A yummy one pot meal which combines the unique flavor of sambar and the goodness of veggies. I just love the way the rice melts in the mouth and when combined with ghee it is just awesome. I prefer making this semi-runny, semi-solid delicacy rather than the rice + sambar combination these days. Try adding some ghee to the rice when having it and you will totally love the texture and taste. Penning down more words will only lead me to brag about the yumminess of this heavenly one pot meal and so I am off to the recipe...

Serves - 2
Cooking time - 10 mins
Preparation Time - 15 mins

What U Need:
Raw Rice - 1 cups
Toor dal / Sambar Paruppu - 3/4 cup
Tamarind - Marble-sized ball
Chopped vegetables - 1 to 1.5 cups
Shallots - 6
Tomato - 1(medium)
Green chillies - 1
Sambar powder - 3 tsp
Hing powder - a generous pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

To Temper:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Shallots - 4
Dried Red Chilly - 1(large)
Fenugreek seeds - few

My Cup of veggies
French beans - 4
Carrot - 1
Radish - 1 Potato - 1(medium)
Peas - a handful
Drumstick - 1
Capsicum - half of medium sized
Cucumber - 1/4 of medium sized
Brinjal -1(medium)
Snake gourd - 1/4 of medium sized

Pre-preparation:
Slice the shallots from the tempering section thinly. Clean and chop the vegetables into chunks. You can use the vegetables you have in hand. Clean the toor dhal and rice.
Add 1 cup of warm water to the tamarind and extract juice by discarding the pulp.
How I Made it:
Heat oil for tempering in the pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds and allow to splutter.
Add the curry leaves and fry.
Split the red chilly into two and then add this to the tempered oil. When black add the fenugreek seeds and sliced shallots and fry till the onions brown.
To this add the hing, green chilly, turmeric and sambar powder and tamarind water and mix well for 10 seconds.
Add the chopped veggies and fry for 2 mins.
Then add in the toor dhal and rice and sufficient water. For 1 cup of rice, I use 2 cups of water (1:2 ratio) and for dhal, I use 1 cup of water. So in total I need 3 cups of water. Already 1 cup has gone in the tamarind juice so I added an extra 2 1/2 cups of water. Extra 1/2 cup as I wanted my rice to be more moist.
Cook for 3 whistles. Wait till pressure leaves and then remove the whistle and stir it well.

Drizzle ghee over and serve hot with vadagam / chips / any fried side dish. We had it with Crispy fried Cauliflower and we loved the combo.

Though the process looks long and has more ingredients, making this is really easy.. Its just chop!!fry!!cook!! And a yummy one pot meal is ready!!!

Note:
I use the regular rice but you can also try with ponni or basmati

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!

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Aviyal - A traditional South Indian Cuisine

Aviyal - This is a traditional and authentic south Indian recipe and is my favorite (when prepared by mom). Ever since I got married, I have not tried it but I have been craving for this.. Whenever I land up in my hometown, I ask mom to make 'Sambar and aviyal'. Love this combination.

So one day, hubby dear encouraged me to do this and so got the recipe from mom and tried it.
Came out really really well. It came out nearly perfect... Happy with the outcome, I tried it again on Tamil New Year and it was so very yum. Would love to have this dish anytime.

~*What U Need*~

Snake gourd, Yam, Potato, Carrot, Beans, Brinjal, Raw Banana, Cucumber
2 cups of these vegetable cut into long pieces
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2
Turmeric powder
Green chili - 1
Small onions / shallots - 6-7
Thick curd - 4 tbsps
Coconut oil - 2 tbsps

How I Made it
Heat coconut oil in a non stick tawa. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Then add urad dhal and curry leaves.
Now add the cut vegetables and give it shake and close with a lid. Do not use your spoon on the vegetables. Cook the vegetables in medium heat

Now blend coconut, cumin seeds, garlic, Turmeric powder, curry leaves, green chilli and shallots to a coarse mixture.
Add curd and give it a pulse.

Check the vegetables and once cooked add the ground mixture. Add salt and some water. Allow it to boil for 2 mins and then off the flame...

Serve with rice.

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