KATHIRIKAI PITLAI

KATHIRIKAI PITLAI

Brinjals/egg plants is a commonly available and popular vegetable in different parts of India. In Tamil, Brinjal is called Kathirikai. Today's dish - Kathitikai Pitlai- is from Tamilnadu cuisine and is for a curry- like Pitlai, which is served as an accompaniment for hot steamed rice. Pitlai is a form of Kuzhambu or sambar.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find some very tasty dishes using brinjals such as Ringna Vatana from Gujarat; Badanekayi Yennegayi from my home State of Karnataka; and Bharli Vaangi from Maharashtrian cuisine.

I have adapted today's recipe from Kathirikkai Pitlai from Subbu's Kitchen.

We had this for lunch yesterday and it was indeed delicious!

Ingredients:-

• Kathirikai ( Brinjals), 250 grams
• Thuar Dal (Split Pigeon Peas), 1/2 cup
• Tamarind, size of a small lemon
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp

For Grinding:-

• Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 8
• Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram Dal), 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal, (Bengal Gram Dal) 1 tbsp

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 8-10
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the brinjal,  remove the stalk and cut them into small sized pieces
Soak the tamarind in warm water for about 10-15 minutest. Extract the tamarind juice and discard the rest.
Wash the thuar dal and cook in a pressure cook with 1 and 1/2 cups of water for 2-3 whistles
Once the cooker cools, remove the thuar dal, mash it well and keep aside
In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat 1 tbsp of oil and on medium heat roast the red chillies, coriander seeds, urad dal and chana dal by stirring continuously till the dal turn golden brown and the red chillies become crisp
To this, add the coconut gratings and roast till they become golden brown in colour
Allow this to cool and transfer to a mixer jar
Grind this, adding the required amount of water, to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
In the same kadhai, heat 1 tbsp of oil, add the brinjal pieces and a little salt and sauté them for 1 minute
Add 1/2 cup of water and turmeric powder and mix well
Cook covered till the brinjals get done. Please note that brinjals get cooked very fast.
Now add the tamarind extract, salt to taste and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes or till the raw smell of the tamarind goes
Add the mashed thuar dal and the ground paste
Mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes and switch off the gas.
Lastly do the seasoning by heating oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds on medium heat
When they splutter add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds
Pour this seasoning on to the Kathirikai Pitlai
Serve with hot steamed rice

KATHIRIKAI RASAVANGI

KATHIRIKAI RASAVANGI

In India, we most often refer to egg plant or aubergines as brinjals. I often make dishes using brinjals as they are commonly available and also have numerous health benefits. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Vaingana Puddi Sagle,  which we Konkanis love; Bharli Vaangi, from Maharashtra, and Hyderabadi Baghara Baingan from Telangana.

In the same vein, today's dish made with brinjals is from the State of Tamilnadu in South India. In Tamil, brinjals are called "Kathirikai" hence the name for this dish.  I made it for the first time the other day and we loved it when we had this with plain rice. This recipe is adapted from Kathirikai Rasavangi from Chitra's Foodbook.

Ingredients: 

• Kathirikai (Brinjals), 250 gms
• Channa Dal,  2 tbsp
• Tamarind, size of a large gooseberry
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Jaggery, a pinch
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste 
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, to garnish

For the Masala:

• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Udad Dal, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Asafoetida,  2 big pinches

Method:

Wash the brinjals, snip off the top and cut into bite -sized pieces. Place in a bowl of water and keep aside so that they don't get discoloured.

Wash and soak channa dal for 15 minutes. Keep aside.
Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp and keep aside. 

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a thick- bottomed kadhai. When it gets hot add the coriander seeds, urad dal, red chillies and asafoetida and roast on medium flame till the dal turns golden and the red chillies become crisp
To this add the coconut gratings, and roast for a few minutes
Transfer to a small mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside.
In the kadhai, cover and cook the soaked channa dal in adequate water till it is done
Add the tamarind extract, and brinjal pieces, salt and turmeric powder and cook till the brinjals get done. Ensure that the brinjals on being cooked are still firm and don't get mushy.
Next, add the ground masala, jaggery and a little water
Mix well, adjust the consistency and bring to a boil
Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and switch off the gas
In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they splutter add the urad dal and curry leaves and saute till the dal change colour
Add this seasoning to the Kathirikai Rasavangi

Lastly, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.