Ingredients

• 5 to 6 - brinjals
• 1 - onion, small sized chopped
• 1 - tomato, medium sized chopped
• 1 - tamarind, gooseberry sized
• 7 to 8 - curry leaves
• 1 pinch - hing
• 1/2 tsp - mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp - fenugreek / methi seeds
• 1/2 tbsp - oil
• salt to taste
• For grinding:
• 1/4 tsp - methi/ fenugreek seeds
• 1.50 tsp - coriander seeds
• 2 - dried red chillies
• 1 tsp - cumin seeds
• 1 tsp - channa dal
• 1 tsp - urad dal
• 1/2 tbsp - coconut

How to Make Ennai Kathrikai

• Dry roast all the ingredients to be grounded in a pan until it releases a nice aroma.
• Make it into a fine paste by grinding them in a mixer grinder.
• Slit the brinjals at the bottom and immerse them in water to avoid discolouration.
• Insert the spice paste into the brinjals using a butter knife and keep the remaining paste for the gravy.
• Fry the stuffed brinjals in oil for 3 to 4 minutes, remove it from oil and keep it aside.
• Start preparing the gravy by heating the oil in a kadai or pan, splutter the mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves.
• Add the chopped onions and fry it till the onions become nice and soft, then add tomatoes, stir it well.
• Keep the flame on medium, cover the pan and cook till the tomatoes get soft and mushed up.
• Now add the remaining paste and stir well, extract the juice from the tamarind by adding little water, add the tamarind extract to the gravy and salt to taste.
• Cover the pan and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Now add the fried brinjals and gently stir it without breaking it.
• If the gravy is too thick, add some water to dilute the gravy.
• Cover it and cook until the brinjals are soft and oil floats on top of the gravy.
• Serve it warm with plain rice and poppadoms, it also goes well with pulav and biriyani.
• Recipe Courtesy: Taste of Pearl City