Kathrikkaai Kadala Kuzhambu / Eggplant Chickpea Curry

Today Morning i saw this curry recipe in my favourite TV show- AVM Managayar Ulagam. I had all the ingredients ready in hand, so went ahead without any hesitaion. The Real name of this curry is Kathrikkaai Kuttai Kuzhambu, it means Thick Eggplant curry. It seams, this dish is from Thanjavur Cuisine, which is my favourite. Trichy and Tanjore are the best places offering vegetarian food in TamilNadu. Karaikudi is the best for Non-Vegetarians. Coming to the Curry, it tasted so different and was great with Hot Rice.

If you are having purple brinjal's in hand, and overnight soaked chickpea, then this is very easy dish to make.

Kathrikkaai Kutta Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Purple Brinjal's - 10
Brown Chickpea - 1/4 cup (soaked for12 hrs)
Gingelly Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard - 1 tsp
Split Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 10
Sambhar Powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Tamaraind - a small lemon size or 1 tbsp Tamarind paste
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida Powder - 1 tsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp's

Method:

First Wash the Brinjal's and cut them into small pieces and put them into a cup of water to avoid the colour change.

In a Heavy Bottomed Kadaai, Heat the Oil, add the asafoetida powder, mustard and let the mustard pop. Add the split urad dal and curry leaves and wait till it get roasted.

Now add the Sambhar Powder and fry the powder in the oil for a minute or till a slight colour change occurs. Now add the brinjal pieces and fry them for a minute, till they start shrinking and change its colour.

Now add soaked brown chickpea to the brinjal and mix well. add turmeric powder and salt to the brinjal, chickpea and mix well.

Add the tamarind water and mix well. close the kadaai / Pan with its lid and let it rest on the stove for about 10 minutes in a medium flame. Add Jaggery in between and stir well.

Let the Curry gets thick and then switch of the flame.

Heat a tbsp of ghee in a pan and add the grated coconut to the ghee and fry it till it turns golden colour (refer the picture). add the roasted coconut to the curry and serve hot with rice.

This curry got a well balanced tangyness, spice and tasted little bit sweet bcoz of jaggery.
The chickpea was cooked in just 10 minutes and tasted well in the curry. The Highlight was the Purple Brinjal's which took the masala's into it and tasted excellent, iam drooling on typing this.

Dont Miss to try if you are a Eggplant / Kathrikkaai Lover.