It’s getting to that time of the year when WINTER IS TOO COLD, water is almost frozen and wind is flicking shiver. Yesterday, it was a sort of weird weather here with heavy rain in the dawn followed by shivering cold breeze for the entire day. Due to rain the feeling of Winter cold has doubled and schools declared holiday. This unforeseen leisure was a real rejoice for kids. But this awkward weather was holding me back from cooking an elaborated meal or kids favorite meal.
It’s quite natural to feel not-spend-too-much-time-in-kitchen kind of mood once in a while. I know it’s not acceptable as food blogger who always have to be cook-n-click state of mind 🙂 . So the menu for the unexpected holiday called for simple rasam and eggplant dry curry.
Eggplant or brinjal that is used in the dry curry is green variety that is round in shape. In Udupi this eggplant dry curry is cooked in a very simple and quick way. The eggplants are sliced lengthwise and cooked in seasoning without any water. Preferably coconut oil in little more quantity is used in the seasoning, so that eggplant slices turn soft and cook well. Thick tamarind extract and rasam powder are included at the final stage of eggplant dry curry and delicious rice side dish is ready in minutes.
Ingredients
- Round green eggplant(brinjal) - 2 nos.
- Tamarind- Gooseberry sized
- Jaggery- Gooseberry sized
- Salt- 1.5 tsp
- Rasam powder- 2 to 3 tsp
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Coconut oil- 6 tsp
- Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
- Split black gram lentil- 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves- Few
Instructions
- Under running water wash the eggplants and wipe them dry. Remove the stalk from eggplant and cut in to half. Then slice each half of the eggplant lengthwise and immerse them in enough water. Immersing helps in avoiding discoloration of the veggie.
- Heat a wide skillet adding all the seasoning ingredients one after the other. Within few minutes the mustard seeds start spluttering, right then add sliced eggplants draining them from water. Add turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Give a quick stir.
- Cover the wok with lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Soak tamarind in warm water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze thick tamarind juice and discard the residue.
- The eggplant slices would have turned soft now, include thick tamarind juice and rasam powder. Stir and cook for 3 more minutes or till the tamarind water is absorbed by the veggie.
- Switch off the flame. Eggplant dry curry in typical Udupi style is ready. Serve it with steamed rice and relish.
- Do not add additional water to cook eggplant slices. Let them cook in seasoning oil itself.
- Do not overcook after adding tamarind extract as eggplant turns mushy easily.
- This dry curry is of mild spice, you can increase it adding slit green chillies.
Hey! I love your recipes! As a product of a dad from udupi and a mom from mangalore, I have eaten a lot of yummy kudla vegetarian/vegan foods. But since I grew up outside of India, so I never really learnt the recipes. Thank you so much for sharing traditional udupi recipes. I love finding a new recipe from you every few days in my inbox!
I have just one small suggestion – any chance I can request you to include the traditional names of the dishes too, so that if I am looking for a recipe by the traditional name it turns up in the searches?! Eg: if I was looking for this recipe as ‘gulla palya’ it may not bring me to this page!
Thanks so much again for sharing!
Sneha, Thanks to you for stopping by and commenting appreciation. And as per your suggestion, hence forth I will try to include the traditional names as well.
Nice recipie.Indeed I have added Puliyogare powder too.It gives further taste.Please try it.
Thank you Sumana! Have a brilliant day!
Hi
thanks for reminding my school days memories with KATPADI GULLA recipe.
i am very found of all your recipes since last 4th months. and i have enjoyed it lot.
thanks once again for sharing a home land touch.
mamta c. anchan
Mamta ..Glad to hear this from you. Thanks.
Hello,
I am a regular visitor of your site. I am settled in Udupi. But I am basically from Kerala. I refer to your recipes for cooking authentic Udupi food for my husband who is a native of Udupi. Yesterday for dinner I tried out the eggplant dry curry and it turned out very well. My husband loved it. Thank you! Please keep posting more such recipes.
It meant a lot to me Rashmi. Thanks.
I tried today for lunch n it came out really well.