Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu

Posted by Angela Steffi on 9:29:00 PM Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu also known as Baingan Masala is a spicy and a tangy recipe made with Small eggplant / Brinjal cooked in a special tangy masala base. First the brinjals are fried in oil and then added to the gravy to enhance the taste. This Ennai kathirikai Kuzhambu is and excellent side dish for Biryani.
In our food court in  HCL we have Rahman Biryani which is very famous for its Brinjal curry, I am a huge fan of their recipe and I always wanted to try one, but unfortunately I couldn't get the perfect recipes for years. Finally I got this recipe from my Mother-in-law , she made this delicious ennai kathirikai for Christmas as a side dish for biryani . From that day on I follow her recipe to make this delicious Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu whenever I make biryani.

Click here to watch Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu in Tamil - Madras Samayal.


Serving Size           : 4  people

Preparation Time  : 10 minutes

Cooking Time        : 25 minutes

Difficulty:

Spice Level:

Quantity	Ingredients for Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu
	For Masala
1 tbsp	Oil
2	Onions
2	Tomatoes
4	Garlic
1 inch	Ginger
1/2 tsp	Turmeric powder
1 tbsp	Coriander Powder
1 tbsp	Red Chilli powder
2 tbsp	Grated coconut
1 tsp	cumin seeds
1 tsp	Fennel Seeds
	For Brinjal Curry
4-5 tbsp	Oil
1/8 tsp	Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp	Fenugreek seeds
2	dry red chilies
few	Curry leaves
10	shallots / small Onion
	Tamarind ( small lemon size)
	Salt to Taste
	Required water
8	Brinjal / Kathirikai

Cooking Method

Step 1) Masala:
Heat oil in a kadai and add the sliced onions and saute it for a couple of minutes, Once the onions turns translucent add ginger and  garlic and the masalas - turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder. Give it a stir and cook for a minute.

Step 2) Then add chopped tomatoes and cook it for another 2 minutes.Turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely.

Step 3) 
Once the mixture is cooled add grated coconut, cumin seeds ,fennel seeds and grind it to a fine paste.


Step 3) Frying :
Make X cut at the bottom of the brinjal , if the stem of the brinjal is very tender then you can use the stem else discard the stems.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the brinjal on a medium heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step 4) Now in the same oil add ingredients to temper - Mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies and  curry leaves. Next add in finely chopped shallots and saute for a minute.

Step 5) Add the freshly ground masala paste from step 3 , Cover and cook until the oil separates and oozes out (medium heat).

Step 6) Once you see oil separating add tamarind juice , water if required, required salt and bring it to boil. Then add the roasted brinjal and let it cook for another 5 minutes covered.



That's it our Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu is ready to be served as a side dish for Biryani, Not only for biryani it also goes excellent with Rice, chapathi and idli too.Please do try the recipe and share your feedback with us. Happy Cooking !!!

Notes:

• Use small size brinjals for best results.
• If you are using large brinjals then cut them into 4 pieces and add fry it for even cooking
• Add a small amount of jaggery to balance the taste if needed.
• The consistency of the recipe can be adjusted according to your preference, more water - kulambu / curry OR less water gravy / masala.