Spiced Eggplant Roast - South Indian Style (Podi potta Kathrikai Curry)

This is the most common curry I make at home as my hubby is an eggplant-lover. Eggplant gets tastier when you fry them longer and this curry gets all its taste from the spice mix aka curry powder. The crunch of the toasted dals/lentils also plays an important role :) I also add drops of oil in steps and keep roasting until it is a bit crispy yet soft. This Eggplant Curry goes well with plain rice or with a clear soup like Garlic Rasam or Jeera Rasam.

Spicy Eggplant Roast - South Indian Style

You Need -

Eggplant - 1 pulpy (~250 g)
Onions - 2 medium (chopped)
Garlic pods - 3 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped fine)

Curry powder (Click to see how you can make it at home and store) - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Red chilli powder / Paprika - 1 tsp (adjust to taste)
Salt - to taste (3/4 tsp)


Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a few

Tempering :

Oil - 2 tsp + 1 tbsp in drops
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp

How To -

 

This time, I will let the pictures do the talking :)

Here's the recipe at one shot:

• Take a frying pan/kadai, heat 2 tsp of oil and allow mustard seeds to splutter. 
• Then add Urad dal/Black gram dal and Channa dal/Bengal Gram dal (Oh, so mnay names for these lentils!!!) Fry till the color changes slightly reddish and enjoy the aroma :)
• Add finely chopped ginger and garlic. Fry for 2 minutes.
• Throw in some washed curry leaves and add onions. Let the onions soften a bit. I wait for the onions to turn a bit brown (not too much). 
• Meanwhile, chop the eggplant into big chunks (they shrink after cooking) and microwave for 3-5 minutes (according to the power of your device).
• Add almost cooked eggplant to the kadai and let the lentils get coated well. Take care not to mash the vegetable. 
• Add the spice powders - Curry powder (our star of this recipe), Turmeric and Red chilli powder. Add salt as required. Toss gently.
• You do not have to close the pan as you want them to get roasted well. Please add drops of oil around and toss at intervals of 3-5 minutes. Keep flame on Sim/Minimum.
• In about 15-20 minutes, it should get well-roasted. Generally, I let it sit around until I finish making rasam or dal.  
• Finally, garnish with fresh coriander leaves, chopped fine. 

Brinjal Curry - South Indian Style

Podi potta Kathrikai Curry

Absolutely yummy when mixed with plain rice or with Rasam