MATTI GULLA HULI

 MATTI GULLA HULI

Matti Gulla is a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of my Home State of Karnataka. In India, it's commonly called the brinjal, while as abroad it is more usually called the eggplant or the aubergine. Call it what you will, we make much use of it in our Indian cuisine. 

Brinjals  are strong in antioxidants and Vitamin A and C and have numerous health benefits.  They are available in different sizes and forms, ranging from the cute baby brinjal to the voluminous balloon brinjal.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for different dishes made with brinjals, such as:-

• Bharli Vaangi : made with baby brinjals
• Roasted Brinjal Chutney: made with large balloon brinjals 
• Kathirikai Rasavangi : made with the regular brinjals  
• Matti Gula Podi: made with a special type of brinjal available in the Udupi area of Karnataka

Tradition has it that the first crop of Matti Gulla ( named after a place called Matti, near Udupi) is offered at the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple.

Today's recipe is for a dish made withe very same Matti Gulla. It is for a Udupi-style Huli/sambar called Matti Gulla Huli. I have adapted this from the YouTube video Udupi Style Gulla Huli of Sudha's Kitchen. 

Notes:-

• This recipe assumes you have cooked toor dal ready. 
• We use the long green chillies which are less spicy for this dish. 
• It is preferable that you use coconut oil for best result, but any other cooking oil will do

We enjoyed this very much for lunch with hot steamed rice. 

Ingredients:

• Matti Gulla, 2 
• Tamarind - size of a lemon 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery, a small lemon sized ball
• Green Chillies, 4
• Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp
• Cooked Toor Dal, 1/2 cup 
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1/2  tsp + 1 tbsp

To Be Dry Roasted & Ground To A Powder:- 

• Urad Dal, 1 tbsp
• Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 7-8

For The Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Red Chillies broken into halves, 2
• Coconut Oil, 2 tsp

Method:-

Wash the gulla and remove the stalk and cut into big pieces. Immerse these pieces in a vessel of water to avoid discolouration

Soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in adequate lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes and extract the juice. 

Slit the green chillies

Chop the coriander leaves

In a kadhai, dry roast the urad dal on medium heat till it changes colour. Keep aside

Next dry roast the coriander seeds followed by the cumin seeds and fenugreek leaves on medium/low flame till they change colour. Keep aside

Add 1/2 tsp of oil to the kadhai and on medium heat roast the Byadgi Red Chillies till they become crisp

Allow all the above roasted ingredients to cool

Transfer to a small mixer jar and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside

In the same kadhai, heat 2 cups of water then add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, jaggery, slit green chillies and salt and bring to a boil 

Next add the gulla pieces, cover and cook on medium heat till they get done but take care that they don't get overcooked

To this add 3 tbsp freshly ground powder and 1 tbsp of coconut oil and mix well

Then add the chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves, asafoetida and the cooked dal

Mix well and let it come to a boil

Lower the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Switch off the gas

In a small pan, heat 2 tsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add urad dal and fry till the dal changes colour

Add the broken red chillies and saute for a few seconds

Pour this seasoning on to the Matti Gulla Huli 

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Matti Gulla Huli with hot steamed rice