Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

There are few foods which makes us want to eat just by hearing the name.This ennai kathirikai kuzhambu is just one of them for me.Ennai kathrikai kuzhambu-Tamarind based stew made of eggplants roasted in oil is such a scrumptious and tasty tasty stew which when eaten with steamed rice along with sesame oil is a pure bliss.Being an authentic Tamil dish,it is not only ,loved by Tamilians,I am sure anybody who tastes this will be pleased.There are two or more ways of doing this,and some people add whole brinjals.One most popular version is stuffing the egg plants with fresh spice powder,other one I often make is a simple version,where in egg plants are sauteed well in the spice powder Here I am blogging about the easiest recipe,where egg plants are cut into pieces as I am not very comfortable with whole egg plants.Over to recipe

Ennai kathrikai kuzhambu recipe
Star ingredients:Egg plant
Time:30 minutes
Serves:3
Ingredients:
10-12 egg plants quartered/halved if very small
1 teaspoon sambar powder
A small lemon sized tamarind
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 dried red chillies
1 green chilli
10-12 curry leaves
Salt
Sesame oil
To roast and grind
Roast 3 teaspoon channa dal,3 teaspoon coriander seeds,3 dried red chilli in oil,allow to cool and grind with 1 tablespoon shredded coconut.
Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup and extract thick juice
Method:
1.Heat a kadai and add 4 teaspoons sesame oil.Sesaon with mustard,fenugreek seeds,dried red chilli,asafoetida,and curry leaves.
2.Add the cut egg plants,green chilli and spice powder.Saute well for 5 minutes.
3.Add the tamarind juice,2 cups water and salt.Allow to boil for 15 minutes approximately (The gravy should become very thick.)
4.Add 2 teaspoons sesame oil,mix well and remove from flame.
5.Serve hot with rice.

Notes:
1.If you wish you can cut the eggplants from top and keep the botttom intact,stuff the ground masala in them and fry well in oil.
2.You can skip tomato if you wish.