Receta Therakkal -- Chettinad Eggplant Curry
Blogging Marathon# 40: Week 3/ Day 1
Theme: Unused BM# 39 posts
Dish: Chettinad Eggplant Curry
My theme for the 3rd week of blogging marathon# 40 is 'Unused posts from BM# 39'. I think I speak for the whole group when I say that we were so enthusiastic in trying new dishes from the Indian States that we cooked more than we can post for last month. So Valli gave us a chance to post them this month.
As I was looking for Chettinad recipes to make for Tamil Nadu I found this Chettinad Eggplant Curry from Gayathri's space. As you all know, I see eggplant I make eggplant and that's what I made. I made the curry right away, but I wasn't too happy with the clicks, so I made Chettinad Vegetable Biryani later. These are the original clicks since I didn't get a chance to redo the dish, will definitely try to update the pics some time soon.
This is a very flavorful and spicy dish with the addition of spices typically found in Chettinad cuisine. I ate this curry with just about everything -- rice, roti and even bread. The curry tastes even better the next day when the flavors get a chance to mingle.
Recipe from Gayathri's blog:
Ingredients:
- Eggplant - 7~8 small, chopped
- Onion - 1 large, chopped
- Tomato - 2 medium, chopped
- Green chilies - 2~3, slit
- Dry red chili - 3~4 (adjust as per taste)
- Cumin seeds - ½tsp
- Fennel Seeds - 1tsp, divided use
- Grated Coconut - 1cup, fresh or frozen
- Cashews - 1tbsp
- Roasted gram/ Putnalu - 1tbsp
- Peppercorns - 6~8
- Cinnamon - 1" piece
- Salt - to taste
Method:
Grind coconut, cumin, ½tsp fennel seeds, cashews, roasted gram, green chilies and red chilies into a fine paste.
Heat 3tbsp oil in a large pan; add the remaining ½tsp fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and peppercorns. Once they turn fragrant, add the onions and cook till they turn golden.
Next add the chopped eggplant, cover and cook till the eggplants are almost cooked.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they get mushy.
Stir in the ground paste and salt. Add water to get a gravy consistency and bring the mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer till the gravy doesn't smell raw anymore.
Serve with rice or roti.
Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 40.
Also linking it to this week's Fabulous Feast# 15 being hosted by Usha and me.