Ennai kathirikkai kuzhambu | Enna Kathirikai kulambu | Brinjal puli kuzhambu | Kathirikai kara kuzhambu | South Indian kuzhambu recipes | Brinjal kuzhambu recipe is a traditional South Indian kuzhambu/ Kulambu variety. Small brinjal cooked in a tangy tamarind base makes this kuzhambu tasty. Freshly roasted and ground powder gives nice flavour to the Tamil Nadu style kuzhambu variety. Kulambu stays good for 2-3 days.
Ennai Kathirikai kuzhambu is yet another “Mom’s recipe”. Whenever she gets small brinjals from the grocery store, she prepares this dish. Knowing my brinjal addiction Amma prepares it frequently. As the same suggest “Ennai Kathirikai (Oil Brinjal)” not too much oil is used for the Kulambu preparation but it tastes heavenly.
Be it mixed with rice with lot of sesame oil or side dish forcued rice/Idli/ Dosai etc. this kuzhambu is a instant hit in our home. After coming to US I hardly finds the super small brinjal s Amma use for this kuzhambu but I manage to do the kuzhambu with the ones I get it here. Stuffed brinjal is yet another tasty variety with brinjal
Ennai Kathirikai kuzhambu comes under Kara Kuzhambu/ vetha kuzhambu category. Tanginess in Tamarind/puli based kuzhambu gives amazing flavour for the kuzhambu. Usually I use sambar powder for the puli kuzhambu. In the brinjal kuzhambu freshly ground spice powder is used, which goes a aromatic flavour for the kuzhambu.
If you like Kara Kuzhambu based recipes try
The spice powder stuffed in brinjal makes the vegetables so delicious and every brinjal bite is flavorful. Amma usually prepared traditional Tamil Brahmin no onion- no garlic version. For extra flavour onion and garlic can also be added.
Kuzhambu stays good for 2-3 days and the flavours get better on the second day. Sesame oil makes the KUlambu super yummy.
if you are looking for Kuzhambu varieties without dal and sambar powder this is great choice.
Kuzhambu varieties with tamarind
Kuzhambu varieties without tamarind
Kootu recipe collection in TMF
Ingredients
- Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine- 8 preferably small brinjal, since I didn't have them, used medium sized
- Tamarind - lemon sized
- Salt - as needed
- Spice Powder:
- Channa dal/bengal gram - 1 tbsp
- Coriander seeds/Dhania -1 tbsp
- Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
- Red chillies - 2 Adjust according to your spice level
- Black Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Fenugreek - 1/8 tsp
- Rice - 1/4 tsp
- Pepper - 1/4 tsp
- To Temper:
- Mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
- Fenugreek - 1/8 tsp
- Asafoetida/hing - a generous pinch
- Curry leaves - one spring
- Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp Typical 4/5 tbsp are used but I have reduced
Instructions
- Soak tamarind and extract the juice
- Dry roast the ingredients mentioned under spice powder till golden brown and switch off. Grind into a coarse powder.
- Wash Eggplant, discard the stem and make two cuts leaving the bottom intact. Stuff the Eggplant with the spice powder and keep it aside
- Add oil to that pan and add the items under 'to temper' and let it splutter. Add the stuffed brinjals, turmeric powder and salt for brinjal. Cook on low flame, stirring it occasionally till the eggplants are half cooked. Add tamarind extract, the remaining spice powder and salt for gravy
- Cook till the gravy thickens. Serve the Kuzhambu with Rice and any side dish. We had it with Beans Paruppu Usili
Kathirikai Kuzhambu
Preparation Time : 10 mins | Soaking Time :15 mins | Cooking Time : 30 mins | Serves : 3
Category:Rice Accompaniments
Ingredients
Eggplant/Brinjal/Aubergine- 8 (preferably small brinjal, since I didn’t have them, used medium sized)
Tamarind water – 3 cups (extracted from small lemon sized tanarind)
Salt – as needed
Spice Powder:
Channa dal/bengal gram – 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds/Dhania -1 tbsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 2 (Adjust according to your spice level)
Black Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp
Rice – 1/4 tsp
Pepper – 1/4 tsp
To Temper:
Mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida/hing – a generous pinch
Curry leaves – one spring
Sesame Oil – 3 tbsp + 1/2 tbsp (Typical 4 to 5 tbsp are used but I have reduced)
Method:
- Soak tamarind and extract the juice
- Dry roast the ingredients mentioned under spice powder till golden brown and switch off. Grind into a coarse powder.
- Wash Eggplant, discard the stem and make two cuts leaving the bottom intact. Stuff the Eggplant with the spice powder and keep it aside
- Add 3 tbsp oil to that pan and add the items under ‘to temper’ and let it splutter. Add the stuffed brinjals, turmeric powder and salt for brinjal. Cook on low flame for around 2 minutes sauteeing occasionally till the eggplants skin color changes and starts to shrink
- Add tamarind extract, the remaining spice powder and salt for kuzhambu
- Cook for 15 minutes
- Add jaggery, hing and 1/2 tbsp oil and cook for 10 minutes. Serve the Kuzhambu with Rice and any side dish. We had it with Beans Paruppu Usili
Perfect timing! I did a brinjal round-up and was mourning the fact that I was running out of brinjal recipes. (I have some but am hoarding them! :-p)
Now that you posted this wonderful recipe, I can sleep in peace…. 🙂
🙂 you have a amazing brinjal recipe collection Aruna, I have already bookmarked two recipes. Your poha was a hit in my home. Guess from your collection, I will find lot of interesting recipes
Same here. Don’t you just love blogging? I learn so much each day. 🙂
Yes Aruna, I always thinks the same. Learning a lot from Co- bloggers 🙂
I do it in a different metod, this version looks good, will have to try this…
Sure Malar:) how you prepare it, eager to learn your preparation
coming soon Vidya 🙂
🙂
I love this a lot… Mouth watering 😛
Thanks Deepa:)
Sounds yummy! Will try this as a side to palak rice sometime and will let you know about it!!
That’s nice idea Swetha:) waiting to hear from you
I love brinjal and I am totally looking forward to prepare this dish as soon as I get my hands on some baby brinjals 🙂
Good to know someone who like brinjal like me:) do try and let me know
Never had this before. Gotta try this 🙂
Do try it Charanya:) waiting to hear from yoy
It looks very tasty and so flavorful 🙂
Thanks Linda:)
yippeee my favourite, perfect for akki rotti what we do in our place and goes well with anything….just love them….am drooling……..
I have tasted akki roti in friend’s place:) guess its prepared with rice flour
My mom makes this as well..tasty 🙂
Wow that’s nice:) Mom’s recipes are always spl
oh yes..that’s so true!
🙂
I love this spicy hot curry. Have been longing to eat some! I have made changes in my recipe…it’s time to go back to this traditional recipe.
Happy to know you love this curry. Mom’s version will have more spice and oil but I have reduced both. Do try Sridevi, I am sure you will like it
This looks so delicious. I’ll have to give it a try. Wow! So flavorful.
Thanks Amanda:)Do try and let me know
Thanks Amanda:) waiting to hear from you
Yum! Can never have enough of aubergine recipes. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
So sweet of you Garima:) thanks
You know vidya,I love Kathrikai kuzhambu…have been always searching for the perfect recipe..I will definitely try this out soon.
Thanks Shannu:)Happy to know that you like kathirikka kuzhambu:) Do try and let me know how it turned out:)
Yes i will dear!planning to make it coming monday..
Thats Nice Shannu:-)
What an interesting recipe. I am not familiar with so many of the ingredients, but I would be willing to try this dish sometime. I am sharing on my “Indian Food” board on Pinterest. Thanks!
Thanks Jeanne:)
If I can find baby aubergine, as they’re called here, I’d love to try this. Or maybe this would work with smallish medium? The other ingredients I’ve yet to try using are the chana and urad dals with dry spices. I have both in my cupboard, so really must give this a go sometime.
Glad that you liked it:)Do try and let me know
I’m warming up to Indian food as I get older. Had tiki masala with a friend a few months back from Trader Joe’s. I’m willing to try anything (non insect or entrails or gonads). =) Blessings to you~
Thanks:)