Authentic Tamil Nadu Kattu Yennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu
A fragrant, deeply spiced South Indian curry featuring tender baby eggplants simmered in a rich tamarind and sesame oil gravy. This traditional delicacy balances tangy and spicy notes, perfect for warm steamed rice.
55min
Total Time
4
Servings
Tamil Nadu
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Extract thick tamarind juice and keep aside.
2
Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai and lightly fry the slit eggplants until 50% cooked. Remove and set aside.
3
In the same pan, add the remaining sesame oil. Crackle mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds.
4
Add curry leaves, peeled shallots, and garlic cloves. Sauté until the shallots turn translucent and golden.
5
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn soft and mushy, releasing oil from the sides.
6
Stir in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and sambar powder. Sauté for a minute on low heat.
7
Pour in the tamarind extract and bring the mixture to a rolling boil until the raw aroma disappears.
8
Gently drop in the half-cooked eggplants, add salt to taste, and drop in the jaggery if desired.
9
Cover and simmer on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes until the oil separates on top and the eggplants are tender.
10
Serve hot with steamed white rice and a dollop of ghee.
Ingredients
10-12 small tender eggplants, slit into four keeping the stem intact
4 tablespoons sesame oil (nalla ennai)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 sprig fresh curry leaves
15 small shallots (sambar onions), peeled and halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind, soaked in warm water and extracted into 1.5 cups of juice
2 tablespoons sambar powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons grated jaggery (optional)
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.