Kathirikai(brinjal) Kara Kuzhambu - Tamilnadu Cuisine

Ingredients

Brinjal – 3 (Cut into Medium size)

Pearl Onion – 10
Big Onion – ½ (sliced)Tomato – 1 (cut into 4 pieces)
Coconut gratings – 1 tablespoon
Tamarind – small lemon size

Chilli powder Powder – 1 tspn

Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
Gingelly Oil – 2 tablespoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Fenugreek – ½ teaspoon
Red Chillies – 2 (broken into two)
Urad dal– 1 tspn

Channa dal - 1tspn
Curry leaves – 2 springs

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Soak tamarind and salt in water. Squeeze out the juice, add water and make 3 cups of tamarind water.
2. In a pan add one tspn gingelly oil and add big onion pieces and saute till it turns transparent. Add tomato pieces and fry till the tomatoes mashed well. Add coconut gratings  and fry for two minutes. Remove and cool it. When it is cooled, grind to a fine paste.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan.Splutter mustard seeds. Add Urad dal, channa dal,red chillies,curry leaves. Then add fenugreek seeds and fry till it turns light brown. Add pearl onions and fry well. Then add brinjal pieces.
4. Add chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for two to three minutes.
5. Add tamarind water.
6. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat and cook till the brinjal is tender. Now add the ground paste along with a cup of water and stir well. Allow to cook in reduced heat for three to five minutes.