Roasted / Smoky Eggplant Curry சுட்ட கத்திரிக்காய் கொத்சு

Roasted / Smoky Eggplant Curry 

சுட்ட கத்திரிக்காய் கொத்சு 

Ingredients:

Purple Eggplant ( பெரிய நீல கத்திரிக்காய்) - 1 

Tomato ( தக்காளி ) - 1

Tamarind ( சிறிய அளவு புளி) - a small marble size

Onion ( பெரிய வெங்காயம்) - 1 

Green Chili ( பச்சை மிளகாய்) - 2

Turmeric powder ( மஞ்சள் தூள்) - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds ( கடுகு) - 1/4 tsp

Split Urad dhal ( உளுந்தம் பருப்பு ) - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை) - 1 twig

Coriander leaves ( கொத்தமல்லி தளை ) - 1 twig 

Oil for cooking ( தாளிப்பதற்கு எண்ணெய்)

Salt to taste ( தேவையான அளவு உப்பு ) 

Wash, wipe clean and smear the eggplant with just one or two drops of  oil.
Using a fork, make holes randomly across the whole eggplant.

Using the fork or tongs to hold, place the eggplant directly on to the flame.
Turn now and then so that all sides are burnt uniformly and not over burnt.

Once done, allow it to cool. Peel the skin

Slice and mash the roasted eggplant into a coarse paste. Do not fine blend it. 

Add the small amount of soaked tamarind and using fingers smoothen and mash well. 

In a heavy bottom pot, add a tablespoon of oil. When hot, splutter mustard seeds followed by urad dhal. Add in curry leaves,split green chili , fine chopped onion and tomato. Saute for 2 or 3 minutes.

To the mashed brinjal add turmeric powder and required salt.
Add this to the sauted onion tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with dosai or chapathi.

My Notes:
Roasted brinjal is flavourful. This recipe is a slight variation of baingan bharta, a north Indian dish, served with chapathi. Ginger and garlic are not used here while it is added together with garam masala or coriander powder in Baingan bharta.

While roasting give it time as it has to cook from inside . If not you may not be able to mash with fingers. In that case, troubleshoot by giving a short quick run in mixie using viper button. Be cautious not to run even extra seconds.
Allow it to cool well before peeling the skin. Mash well and make a pulp.
The smoky taste is unique.

I am a massive Eggplant relisher.  Eggplant, or Brinjal as it is commonly called, is a  vegetable frequently incorporated in one way or other in South Indian cooking - Sambar, kootu, poriyal, pepper fry,.kulambu, kotchu etc.. We are no exception, fed almost twice  a week.
In my hometown, Sholavandan, fresh brinjals are brought to sell at doorstep. They were plucked in wee hours of the very same day.Young, soft, pulpy and yummy. No hard pulp with seeds. Good old memories.

With that instilled in mind, I try to cook brinjal on the day I bring from shop and try not to refrigerate. Ofcourse a few will be stored in fridge to be cooked in two or three days later. There is a difference of brinjal cooked fresh and the one stored in refrigerator for a few days.