A breakfast blooms and fills the heart only if the side dish is appropriate.No matter how soft your idlys are or how perfect you make pongal,it is not going to be praised or devoured with out an appropriate side dish. In south Indian cuisine there are so many combinations like this and I ever wonder who would have created such pairs.Like idly-sambar,pongal gothsu and all.Before blogging I never used to bother much about making proper side dish and I will cook just what I feel like making.But after I started blogging here I am more conscious on preserving and passing on the traditional methods/combinations of a particular dish.Why I say this here,when eaten just like that or with sugar(few people do that!) pongal is a normal dish(some may love that and no offense here),but when eaten with a proper chutney/gothsu/sambar it not only tastes great but it also becomes a complete balanced meal.This is the beauty of Indian cuisine where in the variety of side dish is for taste and nutrition.Today I am blogging about a very traditional side dis,eaten normally with break fast like idly/pongal.Gothsu is a gravy or stew made with brinjal(aubergine). As with many Indian recipes,gothsu can also be prepared in many ways and I am sharing one method with out tamarind.Kathrikai gothsu recipe
Star ingredients:Brinjal
Time:30 minutes
Serves:4
Ingredients:
3 large or 4 medium sized brinjal ubed
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 green chillies
2 dried red chillies
2 teaspoons channa dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
2 teaspoons sambar powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspon asafoetida
10-12 curry leaves
2 teaspoons shredded coconut
Salt
1/2 teaspoon grated jaggary
Oil
Method:
1.In a small pressure cooker,add oil and temper with mustard,urad,channa dal and asafoetida.Add green chillies,dried red chillies and curry leaves.Saute well.
2.Add the chopped tomatoes ans saute till mushy.Add the cubed brinjal and saute for 3-5 minutes.
3.Add the sambar powder,coriander powder and saute till raw smell goes off.
4.Add 2 cups water,salt and pressure cook up to 3 whistles.
5.Once the pressure is released open and stir well.Simmer for 5 minutes,stirring in the middle.
6.Add the jaggary,shredded coconut and cook for 5 more minutes.
7.Serve hot with idly/pongal.
Notes:
1.If you want you reduce the tomato by 1 and add 1 teaspoon thick tamarind extract
2.Coconut is optional but adding jaggary is important.
