Brinjal (Indian Eggplant) Kothsu

I had some tender brinjals lying in the fridge for more than 5 days. Thats actually weird in my kitchen, because i cook brinjals the next day i buy it and the reason is, rarely i get good tender brinjals in our Indian store nearby. And this time it was fresh and  i bought a lot to try some different dish other than usual fry and making sambar. 

When i was looking for a recipe in my old note book, i found my MIL's kothsu recipe which i had written in a small paper. I remembered the day (after my marriage) my husband asked me to prepare the dish 'just like his mom' makes. That time i was not much of a brinjal person and i didn't care to try the recipe. But now, i buy brinjals every week and i really liked the taste of kothsu.

Kothsu is kind of a dip or chutney famous in Tamilnadu. It is made with simple ingredients in a quick time. I found other kothsu recipes made with tamarind for sourness, but MIL's recipe says' tomatoes'. Maybe next time i would try it with tamarind. Alright, here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

15 tender Brinjals (bite-size pieces)

6 red Pearl onions

2 Green chilli (slit)

2 Roma Tomatoes (chopped)

1/2tsp Turmeric powder

1tbsp Sambar powder/Kuzhambu milagai podi

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

3 Dry red chilli (broken)

5-6 Curry leaves

2 pinches Asafoetida

1 cup Water

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• In a cooker add brinjals, pearl onions, green chilli, tomatoes, turmeric powder and salt along with water and pressure cook'em for two whistles.

• Coarsely mash the cooked brinjals with a hand masher and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.

• Then add sambar powder dissolved in some water and cook for 30 secs. (Water is added to prevent the sambar powder from burning.) (Sorry, don't have the pic.)
• Now, transfer the cooked brinjal mixture into the skillet and cook for 6-8 mins at medium flame or until it starts thickening a bit. (Do not overcook the mixture or it will turn into chutney consistency.)

• Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with idli, dosa or steamed rice.

Vangi(Brinjal) Quinoa

The original recipe is from Kamala's Corner 'Vaangi Bath', but I made this dish substituting rice for quinoa. Otherwise, not much of alterations and here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

For Quinoa:

1 cup Quinoa (pre-washed)

1 1/2 cups Water

1tsp Oil

1 pinch Salt

• Pressure cook the quinoa with water,  oil and salt. Fluff it with a fork and keep aside.

For Vangi masala powder:

4 dry red chilli

1tsp Chana dal

1 Cinnamon stick (1")

3 small Cloves

1tbsp Coriander seeds

1tsp Urad dal

2tsp Oil

• Heat oil in a small pan, add the above ingredients in the same order, fry'em at medium-low heat until brown.

• Let it cool, grind coarsely and keep aside.

For Vangi Quinoa:

8 small Brinjals (Indian Eggplant) 

1/2 medium Yellow onion (finely chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Chana dal

1tsp Urad dal

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

5-6 Curry leaves

1tbsp Oil 

Salt

How to:

• Quarter the brinjals and wash'em in cold water.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add cumin seeds, chana dal and urad dal.

• Then add onions, curry leaves and saute until tender.

• Add turmeric powder, saute for a min, then add brinjals.

• Cook brinjals for 10 mins, with lid closed, in a medium flame along with salt, until tender. (Careful not to black'em.)

• Now add the coarsely ground powder, mix well and cook for a min.

• Add the cooked quinoa, mix gently and check salt for taste. (If required, add salt.)

• Reduce the flame to low, close the lid and let cook for 3-4 mins. (This way the spices get infused with the quinoa.)

• Switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve warm with raita and potato chips.

Indian Eggplant(Brinjal) Curry

Ingredients:

10 Brinjals (small)

1 Yellow onion (chopped)

1 1/2 Tomato (chopped)

4 Small green chilli (slit)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

3/4tbsp Chilli powder

1 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder

1tsp Cumin seeds

1/2tsp mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

1 1/2 cups Water

Salt

Oil

How to:

• Wash and cut the brinjals into quarters, lengthwise.
• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add urad dal and cumin seeds.
• Now add onion and green chilli along with the salt and saute until tender.

• Add turmeric powder and saute for a min.
• Then add the tomatoes and cook till mashed up completely.

• Add the chilli powder and coriander powder and cook for 2 mins.
• Now add the quartered brinjals, mix well and cook along with salt and 1 1/2 cups water with lid closed.

• Cook until the brinjals are tender and the curry thickens.

• Check salt for taste. Switch off and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapathi.

Gutti Vankaya / Stuffed Eggplant roast

Ingredients:

8-9 Tender Brinjal (Indian eggplant)

8-10 Dry red chilli

2tbsp Chana dal

2tbsp Urad dal

1 Pinch Fenugreek seeds (Methi)

1tbsp Coriander seeds

3 pieces Tamarind

2 garlic pods (sliced)

5-6 Curry leaves

1 Pinch Asafoetida (hing)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1 green chilli slit (optional)

Cilantro

Oil

Salt

How to:

• Wash, pat dry and slice the brinjals into 4 wedges with the head intact.

• In a pan with hot oil, deep fry'em for 30 secs and keep it aside on paper napkin to remove the excess oil.

• In a skillet, heat 1tbsp oil, add dry red chilli, slow roast'em, then add chana dal through turmeric powder, one at a time and roast well.
• Let it cool, add salt and grind to a fine powder. Mix water to the powder and make a thick paste (masala).

• Now stuff the brinjals with the masala and carefully place it in the skillet with 1tbsp oil and cook with lid closed.

• Once every 5 mins, turn the brinjals and cook every side with salt sprinkled on top.

• Add the green chilli and roast few more mins.

• Finally, garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with steamed rice.