Brinjal Potato Subzi

This is another simple dish that goes well with idllis and dosas. The dish may not be photogenic but I can assure you for the taste. My MIL usually fire roasts the eggplant until it is 3/4th done and then chop it into pieces and then use it in the gravy. The gravy prepared this way has a smoky flavor in it. But my mom on the otherhand does not roast them. She steams both the brinjal and potato together and mashes it.
So, my version is to cube both the brinjal and potato into small pieces, Cook it really well and finally mash it with a potato masher. Easy... huh? It does not taste exactly the same as the fire roasted version or the steamed version. All I can say is it tastes good. Hope you give it a try too. Here's what you need...

Ingredients:
Eggplant- 1 (I'm talking about the big purple ones not the tiny ones)
potato- 2 (medium size, cubed)
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
urad dal- 1/2 tsp
channa dal- 1/2 tsp
cumin- 1/2 tsp
onion- 1 (finely chopped)
tomato- 1 (finely chopped)
green chillies- 3 (chopped)
tamarind- 1/2 tsp
chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
turmeric- 1/2 tsp
water- 1 1/2 cups
curry leaves- few
corriander leaves- few , hing - a pinch

Procedure:
Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and cumin. Then add onions, green chillies and turmeric powder. After 5 minutes add the potato and brinjal cubes. Saute in medium flame until 3/4th done. Now add the hing, chilli powder, salt and tamarind. Mix well. Then add 1 cup water and boil until the vegetables are completely cooked. Then open the lid of the pan and mash the vegetables just leaving a few chunks here and there. You can skip this step if you want. Add more water if the gravy is too thick. Finally add corriander and curry leaves. Serve it hot with dosas or idllies.

Gutti Vankaya/ Stuffed Brinjal Curry

There are so many versions of this dish. I was tempted to try this after I had this in our local restaurant and seeing it in so many blogs. This is my first trial and I must say that I was perfectly satisfied the way it turned out. So, check out this recipe and give it a try.

Ingredients:
roast and grind:
urad dal- 1 tbsp
chana dal-1 tbsp
shredded coconut-2 tbsp
cumin-1 tbsp
corriander seeds- 3/4 tbsp
peanuts- 11/2tbsp
sesame seeds- 1tbsp
cloves- 3
cinnamon- 1" piece
peppercorns- 1/4 tsp
methi seeds- 1/4 tsp
red chillies- 12

Brinjals- 15
onion- 1/4 (finely chopped)
curry leaves-few
tomato-1(small,finely chopped)
tamarind paste-1 tsp
jaggery-1/2 tsp
salt- 1 tsp

Procedure:
Dry roast all the ingredients from urad dal to red chillies until golden brown. Cool and grind it to fine paste adding very little water, tamarind paste, jaggery and some salt.
Make slits in the brinjal like a plus sign. Do not remove the top off. This will keep the brinjal intact. Stuff the ground paste into the brinjals. Set them aside.
Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a kadai and fry some mustard seeds. Then fry onions,curry leaves with some turmeric. Now add the stuffed brinjals and the remaining ground masala. Fry for about 5 mins.

Then add tomatoes and fry for another 3 mins. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and some salt. Cover and cook on medium heat for 3o mins stirring in-between. Careful not to break the brinjals. If the gravy is too thick, you can add water to make it thinner. When done, serve it with hot plain rice and appalam.

Note: Not all the stuffed masala will stay inside the brinjal during the cooking process. Don't worry about it. The gravy will turn perfectly fine. Another look at the dish......

Vaangi Bhaat and kosambaris

It's been 5 months since I have participated in any event. Actually, this is the second event I'm participating. Most of the time, I come to know about an event after it's deadline only. But this time, Asha gave me lot of reminders and 'Thanks' to her for making me participate in this. so, here goes.

My contribution for RCI: Karnataka hosted by my dear friend Asha.
The dishes I chose are :Vaangi Bhaat, Carrot kosambari, cucumber kosambari and Uddin vade.

Vaangi Bhaat:
For this dish , I followed Asha's recipe exactly. But after doing 'step 2' I did not get a gravy. The masala powder I added absorbed all the liquid. After that I sauted the dry paste with the cooked brinjal for another 5 mins adding 1 tbsp of oil. Other than this, everything else was exactly from her recipe.
This is the first time I'm trying vaangi bhaat and believe me...this tasted so good and smelled awesome. The only thing I would do next time will be , adding a bit of turmeric . 'Thanks' to Asha for sharing her recipe.

Ingredients:
2 Cups Rice, cooked and cooled
2-3 Long purple or green Eggplants cubed
1/4 Cup Tamarind Juice,
Salt1/2 tbsp
sesame Seeds (Til)1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds

Roast and Powder:
2 tbsp Dry Coconut
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Chana Dal
1 tbsp Urad Dal
2-3 Dry Red Chillies1/2 tsp Hing (asafoetida)

To season:
1 tbsp Oil and Ghee
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1tsp Chana Dal
1 tsp Urad Dal
Curry Leaves
1-2 Dry Red Chillies
1 tbsp Peanuts slightly crushed (optional)

Method:
Fry eggplants with little oil and salt until almost cooked.Keep aside. Season,when peanuts are reddish add tamarind juice, cook until thickish and add in ground masala. Simmer until oil floats on top and add eggplants.Add sugar,salt. Cover and cook until eggplants are tender, you have a nice pasty gravy with a shine! Cool slightly. Mix with rice gently as not to break the eggplants.Adjust the salt.

Note: You can roast coconut and Til seeds seperately, pound slightly,add in the end to mix with rice.

Carrot Kosambari:
Ingredients:
Carrots-2 ( finely grated)
moong dal-1 1/2 tbsp(soaked for 30 mins)
green chillies- 2
corriander leaves- few
coconut- 2 tbsp(grated)
salt- as reqd
lemon juice- (opt)

Procedure:
Mix all the ingredients and season with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves.

Cucumber Kosambari:
Ingredients:
cucumber- 1 (finely chopped)
moong dal-1 1/2 tbsp(soaked for 30 mins)
green chillies- 2
corriander leaves- few
coconut- 2 tbsp(grated
salt- as reqd
lemon juice- (opt)

Procedure:
Mix all the ingredients and season with mustard seeds, hing and curry leaves.

Kathirikkai Vellai Mochai Kuzhambu

This is a typical south-indian dish cooked mostly in Tamilnadu. Kathirikkai means brinjal and Vellai mochai means field beans. This dish is traditionally made with some karuvadu (dried anchovies) in it. I'm not a big fan of karuvadu ,so I always omit that. It tastes great with white rice. Once you try it I'm sure you will fall in love with this.

Ingredients:
Brinjal- 4 or 5 (slit it into 4,but do not remove the top)
vellai mochai- 1 cup cooked
small onions- 10 (peeled & sliced)
garlic- 4 pods
tomato - 1
tamarind paste- 1 1/2 tsp(or more if you need)
turmeric- 1/4 tsp
sambar powder- 1 1/2 tsp
coconut milk- 1/2 cup
curry leaves
vadagam- 2 tsp

Procedure:
Pressure cook field beans with some turmeric and salt for 2 whistles.Heat oil in kadai and fry onions , garlic and curry leaves . Then add brinjal and cook till half done. Now add tomato,turmeric and salt. After sometime add sambar powder and tamarind paste. Add 1 cup water and boil for 10 minutes. Then add mochai and coconut milk. Blend well and boil again for 5 more minutes. Cook till the right consistency (not too thick,not too thin). Finally add fried vadagam and add to curry. Serve with hot rice.

Brinjal Drumstick and Mango Sambar

Depending upon the vegetables you use Sambar gets a unique taste each time. Here I have used Brinjal, drumstick and Mango. When you use mango in the sambar always add it towards the end as it gets cooked easily. Also reduce the amount of tamarind as the mango itself will render some tangy taste. So, let's go to the recipe now.

Ingredients:
Cooked toor dal -1 cup
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
split urad dal- 1/4 tsp
jeera seeds- 1/4 tsp
methi seeds- 1/4 tsp
hing- 1/4 tsp
onion- 1 medium (sliced long). You can use small onions too. It add an extra flavor.
red chilli- 1 broken
brinjal- 2
drumstick- 7 pieces
mango - 1/2 (cut into big pieces)
tomato- 1 big
curry leaves- few
tamarind- 1 1/2 tsps
sambar powder- 2 tsps
water- 1 1/2 cups or more
salt- as needed
jaggary- 1/4 tsp or less (optional)
corriander leaves- 2 tbsps


Procedure:
Pressure cook toor dal with some turmeric and a tsp oil. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds, urad dal, jeera seeds, methi seeds and red chilli. Then saute onions, hing and curry leaves. After sometime add brinjal, drumstick and turmeric. Saute until it's half-done. Then add tomato and cook till soft. Next add tamarind ,sambar powder and salt. Saute for 5 mins until the raw smell goes. Then add water and bring to a boil. Cook till the vegetables are almost done. Now add toor dal and corriander leaves. Mix well and boil for 5mins. Finally add jaggery and mango. Boil for another 10 mins. Serve it with hot rice and curried potato . I served mine with broad beans curry and king fish fry. It tasted like heaven on plate.

Brinjal Masala / Kathirikkai Curry

This is a regular dish in our home. It's done atleast once a week. This is one of the dishes that my hubby and me like in common. This curry can bemixed with plain rice to make vaangi bhaat or served as an accompaniant to sambar rice or curd rice.

Ingredients:
Brinjal-5
onion- 1/2(big,sliced)
garlic-5 (sliced)
tomato- 1 (small,chopped)
curry leaves-few
corriander leaves
turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
sambar powder-1 tsp

Procedure:
Heat oil in kadai and season with mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Then fry onions, garlic,curry leaves and turmeric. Add brinjal,salt and saute until color changes. Cook until 1/4th done. Then add tomatoes and sambar powder and cook until done. Finally stir in corriander leaves. Serve with plian rice, sambar or roti.